


Faith

by Snailhair



Series: Purpose [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Character Growth, Darkness, Depression, Evil villain, Fluff, Jollie, Judence, Love Wins, M/M, Post Mpreg, Purgatory, Romance, Series, Series Finale, Smut, World Chaos, angel grace, established relationships - Freeform, heros in trouble, team work, underage smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-03-15 20:44:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 89,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13621323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snailhair/pseuds/Snailhair
Summary: On Jude's 17th birthday, an ancient evil awakes and throws the world into chaos, leaving the Winchester family scrambling to figure out a way to restore order. Separated from their parents, Jude and Jessica – along with their partners – are forced to recruit some of their long lost uncles for help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! Welcome to the grand finale of the Purpose Series! :D Before you start this part, I want to inform all the new readers that this is the 7th part of a Destiel/Sabriel series. It's not entirely necessary for you to read the first six parts, (Purpose, Seeds, Home, Normal, History, and Devotion) but some themes in this fic may be difficult to understand if you haven't read them, such as the addition of certain characters and events that have caused changes to this universe's canon. If you would like to start reading here though, feel free! :) Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Jude's room was nearly silent when Castiel crept through the open door. Everything inside was arranged in a familiarly unkempt fashion. Boots and socks were carelessly tossed about on the floor, the laundry basket in the corner was overflowing with dirty clothes, and the dresser along the left wall was cluttered with gum wrappers and writing utensils, which were scattered all around framed photos of the family. But a twin-sized bed at the center of this disarrayed cluster held Castiel's reason for entering.

The angel could feel a smile on his own lips as he inched closer to his teenage son. It was eerily uncanny how similar Jude and Dean were when it came to sleep. If Cas only spared a single glance at Jude, he could have mistaken the teenager for his father. Single arm tucked under his pillow, mouth slightly open and snoring, spiked oak hair tossed in all directions, freckled nose scrunching every so often, closed eyelids flickering... Jude was Dean made over. But of his physical attributes, there was still one thing that drastically separated the two of them.

“Jude,” Castiel whispered softly.

The angel eased down to sit on the edge of his son's bed and reached out to comb a hand through the teenager's warm hair. Jude only stirred a little, flinching under the contact but refusing to fully acknowledge it. His defiant reluctance to wake up was nothing new to his angelic father. Castiel had to call his name several times to wake him each morning.

“Jude,” Castiel said again, “It's time to wake up, son.”

Cas leaned far over to plant a very small kiss to the edge of Jude's temple, and the affectionate gesture seemed to be just enough to encourage him to start the day. Jude finally opened his eyes, which revealed the breathtaking sapphire that Castiel had been waiting to see. There it was; the main difference between Dean and his child. Jude might have heavily favored Dean in terms of looks, but his eyes belonged to the angel that had carried him.

“Good morning,” Castiel hummed with a smile.

On the bed, Jude made a face and stretched with a grunt – something that Dean also did every morning, as he was a very grumpy sleeper – before adjusting himself to look up at Castiel properly. He was wearing a strange expression this morning; a bit of annoyance mixed with playfulness.

“Pop,” Jude grumbled, his voice so much deeper than Castiel remembered, “You don't have to wake me up every single day, you know. I can just set an alarm or something.”

“Yes, I know,” Castiel acknowledged, resting his hand on his child's arm, “but it has been my honor and privilege to do so for the past seventeen years.”

The mention of the number seventeen seemed to make Jude's lovely eyes grow, which caused Castile's smile to widen in the process.

“Happy birthday,” the angel stated in the most loving and proud tone he could muster.

Jude sighed and smiled before covering his face with both hands and plopping his head back down on his pillow. Apparently, he had forgotten that today marked the seventeenth year since his birth. But the event was permanently ingrained into Castiel's memory forever. Sitting on the floor of that cabin, surrounded in blood, aching with pain, and holding Jude's tiny body close to his own heart was something that Castiel would never forget. That was the day his true purpose began...

“You're still in bed?!”

Jude raised back up and Castiel turned to peer at the door when they heard the sound of Dean's loud voice. Dean – still wearing his robe and holding a mug of steaming coffee – walked into their son's room with a playful look in his eye.

“It's nine-thirty! What's wrong with you, kid? Don't you know what day it is?” Dean asked.

“Yes, Dad. I know what day it is,” Jude mumbled from his pillow, face still adorned with a grin.

“Then why are you still laying here?” Dean asked, bracing his free hand on his hip, “Dude, if you don't get up soon, Gabe's gonna eat your entire cake. I can't hold him off much longer. He's already stolen one of the candy letters. Now, it just says 'Happy Birthday Superma'.”

As was Dean's ultimate goal, Jude chuckled, seeming amused by the story. Castiel, on the other hand, was honestly worried. Did Gabriel actually deface Jude's birthday cake? Surely he knew better than to ruin anything related to Jude's party, right? On the bed, Jude shifted to sit up, finally raising to stretch once more and toss his legs over the side.

“Okay. I get it. I'm up,” the teenager promised groggily.

Dean's smirk faded into a more genuine smile as he reached out to ruffle Jude's already-messy hair.

“I'll alert the media that Superman is on his way,” Dean said, pausing to sip from his coffee and gesture for Castiel to rise, “C'mon, Pops. Let's go so our little man can get suited up.”

Castiel obliged his husband's request and quickly stood to follow him toward the door. In the meantime, Jude stood and rolled his eyes.

“I'm not little anymore, Dad,” Jude reminded sweetly as he watched his parents go.

“Yes you are,” Dean replied over his shoulder, “See you in the kitchen in ten, _little man_.”

Castiel was glad to see that Dean's emphasis of Jude's nickname only made the teenager smile brighter. While Jude turned to look at the cell phone on his night stand, Castiel caught Dean by the arm just outside his bedroom door.

“Did Gabriel honestly ruin Jude's cake, Dean?” the angel asked in an urgent whisper.

Luckily, Dean's smile remained intact.

“No, baby. I was just playing around. Everything's fine,” Dean promised.

The mention of 'everything' made Castiel wonder about the rest of the events they had planned for Jude later that day.

“What about Bobby?” Cas asked, “Is he still bringing the - ?”

Dean's hand shot up to cover Castiel's mouth in an instant. The man's wide green eyes flickered toward their son a few feet away and Cas's blue eyes soon followed. It seemed that Jude was too busy texting on his phone to have heard what his parents were saying. After making sure that the surprise wasn't spoiled, Dean lowered his hand.

“Yeah, he's got it covered,” Dean whispered back, “Relax, Cas. Jude's birthday will be amazing this year. Super seventeen.”

As he stared at Castiel, Dean seemed to realize the magnitude of what he just said because his smile slowly faded.

“Holy shit... Our son is seventeen...” the man breathed, his green eyes dropping, “Damn, I'm getting old...”

Castiel tilted his own head and narrowed his eyes. Getting old? Cas never associated the concept of aging with his husband – partly because he could see the man's soul, which never aged. And while Dean may have been on the further end of the scale in terms of a human life span, the idea never bothered Castiel. He knew that their souls would remain bound together for all eternity. And when it came to eternity, Dean had a very long way to go. Especially considering how ancient Castiel was...

“You'll always be young to me, Dean,” the angel admitted.

Castiel's reply must have been nice to hear, because Dean lifted his sight to gaze at the angel with loving admiration.

“Thanks, babe,” he muttered, briefly caressing Castiel's cheek, “I'm gonna go get dressed. You can help me, if you want...”

Castiel gulped as he watched his husband wink and turn to wander down the hall. While Dean's suggestive comment intrigued him, the angel lingered back to take one last look at their son. Now that Jude was standing by his bed, Castiel could see just how much he had grown. He was so very tall now. Gone were the days of Castiel peering down at his child; of holding him in his arms, singing lullabies to him, and kissing his face on a whim. Jude was nearly an adult, and it was a very bittersweet notion to the angel that had given birth to him.

Castiel's hand instinctively rose to his own abdomen, where the scar on his stomach was hidden by clothing. He truly hoped that the ache in his heart was a good thing. He hoped that this wonderful, yet so very painful, emotion was something that every parent experienced.

* * *

Jude's fingers tapped nervously on his denim pants leg as he sat in the backseat of his dad's Impala. His parents were in the front seat – Dad driving, of course, with Papa right at his side – but he was alone behind them. Sam, Gabe, and Jessie had left the bunker early to 'go pick up Ollie.' But Jude knew better than that. His cousin and uncles probably left early to go set up his birthday party somewhere. Everyone was trying to keep the party a secret, like they did every year. And for the most part, Jude didn't try to get any answers out of his parents. He just let them spoil him with surprises. Besides, he had other things to worry about.

Like the fact that Clarence wasn't answering his text messages.

Jude looked back down at his phone for the millionth time that morning, hoping to see a reply on the screen, but it was still blank. The mobile silence was pretty upsetting because Clarence usually always texted right back, even in the middle of the night. And whenever Jude sent him a 'good morning' text – like he did a few hours before – the reply was almost instantaneous. Today, Jude was even expecting some kind of 'Happy Birthday' message from him, but no. Nothing. The lack of response was starting to worry Jude. What if something happened to Clarence? What if he lost his phone? Or Bobby grounded him or something? How was Jude supposed to know if he couldn't reach him?

Though he was tempted to panic, Jude shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket and tried to relax. For all he knew, Clarence might already be at the party with Jessie and Ollie. Jude attempted to let the idea simmer in his mind while he stared out the window and fiddled with his necklace. It was the Superman necklace that he got a long time ago from his Grandpa; the one that lit up, just like his dad's. He decided to wear it today since 'Superman' sounded like the party theme. Now that he imagined Clarence with his other friends, Jude was starting to get excited. He couldn't wait to see them all at once.

Although it was fifty degrees in mid-February, it looked like Jude's party was outdoors. The teenager leaned closer to the front seat to peer through the windshield, where he saw the local park come into view. It was the same park where he and Jessie first met Ollie when they were little. Dad drove the Impala down the wooded lane to get to the playground and picnic area in the back. As the benches and colorful playground equipment came into view, Jude could see the bright red balloons and blue table cloths concentrated in one spot – along with the rest of Jude's family. His uncles, Sam and Gabe, were chatting with Ollie's mom while flipping some burgers on the grill. Jessie and Ollie, however, had already spotted the Impala and were running over to meet them on the sidewalk... But there was no sign of uncle Bobby, Crowley, or Rowena. Which meant that Clarence wasn't there either. Jude was tempted to start worrying again, but the sweet sound of Jessie's voice distracted him a while longer.

“Hey, Jude!” Jess sang, dashing up to lean inside the window, “I betcha can't guess what today is.”

Jude beamed warmly at his lovely cousin, whose really long golden curls were dancing around her purple jacket in the breeze.

“Wednesday?” Jude replied sneakily as he slid toward the door.

“It's your birthday!” Ollie announced proudly, as if he thought Jude really forgot.

Jude and Jessie both laughed a little bit, equally amused that Ollie didn't get they were 'forgetting' on purpose. When Jude's parents got out of the car, Papa walked over to him with a smile and gestured toward the decorated picnic tables.

“I hope that this is an adequate space for your birthday celebration, Jude,” Papa murmured in a worried tone, “If you'd like to have it somewhere else, I could try to get -”

“No, no,” Jude immediately interrupted, “This is great, Pa. Honestly. It's too much.”

Jude was glad to see a touch of awe and gratefulness appear on his Papa's expression again. With a gentle tug, Papa pulled Jude close to peck a kiss to his cheek, which made Jude's face burn with heat. Ugh! Why did Papa still have to kiss him on the cheek like that? He was too old for that! What if someone at the park saw?

“Papa,” Jude grumbled, feeling embarrassed as he pulled away to brush off his face.

Jessie and Ollie hid their smiles with their hands and turned away, probably fighting off the urge to laugh. Luckily, Papa seemed to understand that Jude was uncomfortable with receiving kisses in public, because he nodded respectfully and backed up. Dad came around the car just in time to put his arm around Papa and lead him toward the tables, all while planting a kiss to _his_ cheek to make him feel better. In the meantime, Ms. Jane walked passed them with a large gift bag in her hand. Her brown eyes and big smile made Jude's bubbly feeling return.

“Hola, Jude! Happy birthday!” She hummed, pausing to wrap him into a big, loving hug, “Oh, you're almost a man now. Between you and Oliver, I can't keep up.”

“Thanks, Ms. Jane,” Jude mumbled.

“Here,” she sighed, backing up to hold out the gift, “You'll have to open it now, sweetheart. I got called into work again, but I want to see your face before I go.”

Jude spared a glance at his friends nearby as he took the gift bag and pulled out the tissue paper. As Jude expected, there was an entire new outfit down inside – only this time, it was a suit. Jude reached in to remove the black suit jacket and held it up, looking at the faint gray pinstripes in the sun. Holy cow! This suit must have cost Ms. Jane a fortune! Why would she get Jude something so expensive? The question must have been on his face because she smiled and shrugged.

“Gabriel mentioned that you might go into the family business one day,” she explained, “and while I still don't know what business they're in, I see your fathers wearing suits all the time. And I figured you would need one of your own.”

Jude gulped, feeling so proud. It was so nice of Ollie's mom to get him something like this, even without ever knowing what his parents' real job was. After gently stashing the jacket back into the bag, Jude wrapped Ms. Jane into a giant hug.

“Thank you so much,” he said quietly.

“Of course, Guapo,” Ms. Jane replied, softly patting his back, “I hope you have a wonderful day.”

She pulled back from the hug to give him one last soft smile before turning to look at Ollie.

“Calabaza, you call me when it's over, okay? Let me know when you get home,” she warned sternly.

“I will, Mom. Promise,” Ollie nodded.

Once she gave each teenager another hug, Ms. Jane smiled and waved to all the adults before heading over to her silver car. Jude could tell that she didn't want to leave, but he supposed that she couldn't miss work. Not while she was still a single mom with a mortgage... Now alone with this friends, Jude stepped close to whisper to them.

“Have you guys seen Clarence yet?” he asked, feeling his worry begin to resurface.

Jessie and Ollie both looked at each other with scrunched eyebrows before shaking their heads in unison. Jude's heart deflated at the sight. Oh no, they hadn't heard from him either? Why not? Jessie reached out to pat his shoulder and gave him a reassuring look.

“He's probably on his way here with uncle Bobby,” she reminded.

Jude nodded, but the suggestion didn't really comfort him. If Clarence was on his way here, he still would have gotten Jude's text messages. Did he leave his phone at home? Or drop it in some water or something? Jessie and Ollie joined hands – which made Jude ache to see Clarence even more – before pulling him along toward the decorated tables.

“Food should help take your mind off things,” Ollie said playfully, “Maybe he'll be here by the time you eat.”

Jude sighed and placed Ms. Jane's gift on the table, where both of his uncles were arranging burgers and hotdogs on the table cloth. Dickie ended up stealing a hotdog and running away with it while Sam wasn't looking; charging off toward the swing set with a wiener wobbling from his mouth. Jude was pleased to see that the giant cake on the table had a complete message. Unlike Dad said that morning, none of the letters were missing from the “Happy Birthday Superman” written on top. They were all neatly placed around the red and yellow icing logo, but instead of the original 'S' for Superman, it had the letter 'J'. Jude smiled down at the first letter of his own name and wondered which adult was responsible for creating such an awesome design. Across the table, Papa beamed at him again.

“That was your father's doing,” he explained quietly, even though Jude never asked out loud.

The two of them shared a small look of private amusement – before the rumble of a truck caught their attention. Jude instantly spun around to look toward the parking lot, knowing exactly which vehicle made the sound. Uncle Bobby's old Chevy pickup truck rolled into a spot near the playground with a trailer in tow. Jude's heart leaped into his throat as he scanned the cab full of people. He searched for Clarence's wild blonde hair amongst the many heads in the vehicle – but the half demon was nowhere to be found. Jude dashed to the edge of the sidewalk to watch everyone climb out of the truck, hoping that Clarence was just hiding between them. But still no Clarence. Jude swallowed harshly, feeling the sting of disappointment and worry ache through his chest again. Where the heck was Clarence?!

“Oi! My sweet birthday bumpkin!” Aunt Rowena grinned, rushing over as fast as her small feet and tight dress would allow to tackle Jude with a hug, “All grown up and oh-so handsome! Ya take after yer great-aunt Rowena in that department, love.”

Though Jude was flattered by the witch's compliments, he was more concerned about Clarence missing from their group.

“Hi, guys. Wh – where's Clare?” he asked, forcing himself to sound calm, even though he was dying to know the answer.

Uncle Bobby removed his hat long enough to scratch his balding head with a sigh as he walked up.

“Apparently, he's 'too cool' to ride with a bunch of old people,” he huffed.

“Old people? Speak for yourself, darling,” Crowley grumbled next to him.

“He followed us here on his bike,” Bobby finished, ignoring Crowley's comment.

Jude gulped, feeling confused. Clarence followed them here on a bike? What bike? Before Jude could ask the question out loud, a new rumble echoed across the park. This one was much deeper and angrier than the sound of Bobby's truck. Everyone standing at the picnic table turned to see the source coming through the treeline. A huge, jet-black motorcycle coasted its way down the lane, carrying a single passenger. All Jude could see of them was denim jeans, a black leather jacket, a black helmet – and a very familiar guitar case. Jude's heart was hammering in his chest by the time the bike rolled up to the sidewalk and growled at the group of people standing there. Jude couldn't take his eyes away. It was the shiniest, sexiest motorcycle he had ever seen in his life.

After revving the engine once more and turning it off, the driver kicked up the stand and leaned the bike to the side. He swung his leg off as he stood up, maneuvering around his guitar case strapped to his back before starting to remove his helmet. The moment Jude saw the mess of blonde hair shake away to reveal Clarence's chestnut eyes and pretty smile, he forgot how to breathe. Holy hell. Jude almost couldn't believe that the sexy motorcycle driver was his own boyfriend...

“Does he always have to make a grand entrance?” Ollie whispered behind Jude, which caused Jessie to giggle.

Although Jude heard his friends talking, he was too focused on the sight of Clarence to pay attention to them. His body was suddenly moving on its own, dashing across the sidewalk with arms wide open. Clare's arms spread to welcome Jude as he crashed into him. Clare's clothes were chilly, probably from where he had been riding out in the cold wind, but his neck was warm and his soft hair smelled so good. Jude wiggled both of his hands behind the guy's guitar case to hug him properly, and in return, Clare's arms slid up Jude's back. Jude didn't need any of the gifts on the table behind him. This hug was all he needed and more.

“ _Mmm_ ,” Clare hummed in Jude's ear as he squeezed him tight, “It's so damn good to see you again, Jaybird.”

Jude held down a sudden laugh inside their hug. He loved hearing Clarence say things like that. The teenager gave his boyfriend one more squeeze before inching back to see his face again. Clare looked so good; so healthy and handsome. His eyes were crystal clear and his lips were plump and full, just the way Jude remembered. Jude felt the strongest urge to raise up and plant his mouth to Clare's – but he didn't. He wanted to wait until there were less eyes watching before he gave him a proper kiss.

“I – it's good to see you too,” Jude grinned, “I've been trying to text you all morning.”

“Oh,” Clare muttered.

He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone – the phone that Dad got him over a year ago, which had an awesome Led Zeppelin case – to look at the screen, where all of Jude's worried texts were sprawled on the screen.

“Oops,” Clare chuckled, “Sorry. I couldn't hear it over the sound of my bike. Pretty rad, isn't it? I finally got it running. I've been following Bobby's truck all day to get here. Wasn't gonna miss this party for anything.”

Jude could feel a blush on his own face. Clarence was so sweet when he said things like that... A short whistle came from the picnic table and the two teenage boys turned around to see that the entire family was staring at them. Jude's dad waved them over with a flat look.

“You two get over here. We've got presents to open,” he called.

“And delicious food to eat, in case you didn't notice,” uncle Gabe added, gesturing to the full table, “Chop-chop, gumdrops.”

Jude shared a small smile with Clarence before leading him over to the picnic table by the hand. Now that Clare was there, Jude wasn't about to let him go anytime soon. Jessie waved at Clarence with her free hand, wearing a radiant smile. Beside her, Ollie seemed a little intimidated by Clarence and his badass arrival. But Clarence was just as friendly to Ollie as he was to everyone else.

“Sup, Barbie? Ginger-ale? Long time no see,” Clare winked toward Jessie and Ollie.

“Hiya, Clare. Nice wheels,” Jessie complimented.

“Thanks. I rebuilt it myself,” Clarence shrugged.

Nearby, Bobby suddenly coughed dramatically, giving Clarence a set of narrowed eyes from under the bill of his hat.

“... with help from Singer,” Clarence added.

“Damn right,” Bobby mumbled with a smile.

In the midst of his family's small talk, Jude noticed that his parents had dug something out of a bag and were starting to walk toward him with it in hand. By the controlled excitement on their faces, Jude could tell that whatever they had was his birthday present.

“Jude,” Dad began, gaining almost everyone's attention, “I know you were probably expecting lots of gifts this year, but we all sort of pitched in to get you one big thing.”

Jude gulped again and looked around, seeing everyone's large eyes on him. One thing? Oh boy, it was probably expensive. Was it a game console? A laptop, like uncle Sam's? A stereo system? Jude had no idea. While his mind raced with possibilities, Dad stepped forward to hold out the very flat object. He didn't say anything; just winked and left it in Jude's hand. Extremely curious, Jude ripped away the wrapping paper to reveal a very thin, rectangular-shaped piece of metal. The front was airbrushed with an awesome Superman logo, with bright, vivid colors. It was really beautiful, but Jude was confused. What was it for? It seemed like some kind of license plate. But that couldn't be right. Jude didn't have a car...

“Um... Thank you,” Jude offered shyly.

Dad grinned and shook his head, stepping forward to rest his hand on Jude's shoulder.

“That's not the gift, buddy,” he said.

Jude only had time to scrunch his nose before his dad gently spun him around to face the parking lot. A few yards away, uncle Bobby and Crowley had walked over to the trailer hitched onto the back of their Chevy truck, where they started to roll down a tarp. Underneath the gray cover was a shiny, dark blue vehicle that looked just like Dad's. Jude's jaw fell as he soaked in the sight the car from across the park. Holy cow! That was an old Impala, just like Dad's baby! Except it was blue instead of black! Behind Jude, his dad leaned close to whisper in his ear.

“ _That's_ your gift,” he hummed.

Jude's heart beat faster in his chest, even though he was too stunned to breathe. What?! That car was _his_?! No way! It couldn't be his! He didn't even have a license yet! Jude turned back to look up at his parents in shock, where he found them both grinning and nodding their heads.

“But – ! I – ! That's too - ! How – ?!” Jude stuttered in disbelief.

“ _I_ found it online,” uncle Sam proudly announced from the back, raising his hand.

“I picked the color!” Jessie added.

“And Bobby and I have been working on it at the salvage yard,” Clarence mentioned.

“But it still needs a little work,” Dad admitted, “That's why Bobby brought it over on a trailer. I figured you and I could get her running in the bunker garage.”

“ _Yeah!_ ” Jude nearly shouted, feeling like he could burst out of his skin at any moment, “I mean, I can't believe you guys got me _a car_ , Dad! Thank you so much!”

Jude almost tackled both of his parents with a giant hug, yanking them close with both of his arms, before turning to dash for the vehicle across the parking lot. He couldn't wait to see the car up close. _His_ car! He couldn't believe it! Jude met his uncle Bobby at the front of the trailer and reached out to touch the glossy blue metal side, just above the wheel. How in the world did everyone afford this car? It must have been quite the restoration job. Uncle Bobby proudly reached out to pat Jude's shoulder.

“Happy birthday, kid,” the old man smiled, “She's got plenty of character. Purrs like a kitten.”

Jude chuckled with excitement. Oh man, he couldn't wait to hear what his new car sounded like!

“Can I take it for a ride, uncle Bobby? Just around the parking lot? I won't go fast. I promise,” Jude asked, unable to contain himself.

“It doesn't run right now, Jude,” Dad reminded, walking up with Papa and Clarence at his sides, “We still have to tinker with the engine and the break system, but you'll get the first test drive when it's done.”

Jude turned back to his parents and nodded. He was still super happy about his car, but he was slightly bummed about not being able to take it for a ride yet. Dad was right, though. The best things in life were earned, and getting to drive something that he helped work hard on seemed more rewarding. Clarence seemed to be the only one in the group that noticed Jude's hint of disappointment, because he stepped over to Bobby's truck and opened the door to reach inside.

“But, if you really want to take a ride,” Clarence smirked at Jude as he pulled out a spare helmet, “ _I_ could always give you one.”

With his hand still resting on his new car, Jude could feel heat explode in his chest and on his own face. Clarence was offering Jude a ride on his new motorcycle. He even had a helmet for him and everything. But while Jude was totally ecstatic about going on a ride with his handsome boyfriend, his parents seemed a little suspicious.

“A ride?” Papa repeated, his eyes narrowing, “To where?”

“Anywhere he wants to go. It's his birthday,” Clarence answered simply, still wearing a cheeky grin.

Dad glanced between Jude and Clarence and Jude tried his best to make his own eyes as big and innocent as possible. He really hoped that his parents would let him have some alone time with Clare. Luckily, Jude's dad let out an exhausted sigh and turned to look at the blonde demon holding the spare helmet.

“Fine,” he allowed, “but you better be careful with my son. He's still a minor. And you better be back in twenty minutes. We still have candles for him to blow out.”

“Deal,” Clarence grinned.

After Jude received his spare helmet, Dad gave Clarence a subtle look; clearly telling him to give him and Jude a moment alone, even though he didn't say it. Thankfully, Clarence obliged and started off toward his motorcycle parked nearby. While he was gone, Dad reached into his pocket and leaned very close to Jude to whisper.

“Here,” Dad said, holding out a condom, “Take this.”

Jude gasped when he looked down to see the tiny square wrapper. A condom?! Seriously?! Jude didn't need that! He was still a virgin! He and Clare never did that kind of stuff!

“Dad, I – I don't need -”

“Just take it,” Dad interrupted, shoving it into Jude's free hand with a stern look, “I've been your age before. I know what boys like to do. And if you're gonna be messing around, you need to use one, okay? We don't need anymore surprises around here.”

Jude swallowed roughly. Surprises? Oh man, why did Dad have to make Jude blush so hard? Even though he was pretty sure that he wasn't going to be doing anything naughty with Clarence, Jude took the condom and quickly stuffed it in his jacket pocket. Dad took a deep breath of relief and patted Jude's shoulder with a look of gratefulness.

Luckily, before either of them could say anything else, the deep rumble of Clarence's motorcycle cut their conversation short. The blonde demon – who left his guitar case with Jessie at the picnic table and was now wearing his own helmet – carefully guided his loud bike out of the parking space and came around to pick up Jude. He purposefully revved the engine a few times when he paused, which made Dad roll his eyes in annoyance. Fighting laughter, Jude slipped the spare helmet onto his own head and stepped up to throw a leg over Clare's bike; straddling it and sliding up to wrap both arms around Clare's warm torso. Once Jude was in position, Clarence quickly pulled the bike away, speeding off toward the main road while Jude waved goodbye to his parents behind them.

When Dad, Papa, and the rest of his family was out of sight, Jude turned his full attention to Clarence's warm body in front of him. The heavy vibration of the bike mixed with the loud growl of the engine made Jude's whole body tingle. The faster the bike went, the tighter Jude held on, and the hotter the fire in his stomach raged. Getting a new car from his family was amazing – but taking this adrenaline-fueled ride with Clare was just as awesome.

Jude was being honest when he tried to tell his Dad that he didn't need a condom. He and Clarence had never had sex before. The closest they ever got was a few shirtless kisses during a 'shirts vs. skins' basketball game at Ollie's house last summer. Most of Jude and Clarence's relationship was based on laughing, flirting, calling, texting, and playing around. Besides, Jude was too nervous and shy to bring up the intimate topic... but that didn't mean that he didn't _want_ to have sex with Clarence. Because he did. He thought about it all the time, especially when they texted each other at bedtime. And now that there was an actual condom in his pocket, and he was all alone with Clarence, Jude's head was filling with possibilities...

Clarence drove his motorcycle just a few miles down the road and pulled off on a dirt path, which led them into a small stream surrounded by forest. The bike engine echoed through the trees, making birds and small animals scatter as it came through. When the bike came up to a wooden bridge, Clarence slowly pulled over and shut the bike off, making everything quiet again. When he started to take off his helmet, Jude copied him, getting rid of the obstructions so that they could see each others' faces again. Clare got off first and held a hand out to Jude, who smiled shyly before letting his boyfriend help him up.

“I wanted to have you to myself for a bit,” Clarence said, which sort of explained their seemingly random stop.

Jude nodded, but didn't say anything. He was too busy staring at Clare's pretty face and thinking about the small item in his pocket... When they were both standing, Clare took Jude by the hand and wandered over toward the wooden bridge. The sound of soft trickling water played around them when Clare spoke again.

“That's a kick-ass necklace,” he purred, reaching up to flick the Superman pendant on Jude's chest, “Is it one of your new presents?”

“No,” Jude answered, glancing down at it, “My grandpa gave it to me.”

“Grandpa? I thought you said he was dead,” Clarence replied.

It took Jude a moment of thinking to realize who Clarence was talking about.

“Oh. No, that was Dad's dad. This necklace came from Papa's dad,” Jude explained as plainly as possible.

Clarence gave Jude a strange look as they shuffled closer to the middle of the bridge.

“Cas's dad?” he repeated, “Cas is an angel. So, you're saying that _God_ gave you that?”

Jude smiled and nodded proudly, remembering the night clearly in his mind. He thought that Clarence would be impressed to find out that Jude's grandfather was God – but, surprisingly, Clarence just laughed and shook his head.

“Yeah. Okay. Whatever,” he muttered.

It seemed like Clare didn't believe him at all. Jude opened his mouth to ask Clarence why he found it so funny, but Clarence started talking first. He finally paused on the bridge to turn around with a softer look.

“You know, there's actually a reason I brought you out here, Jay,” he began, using one hand to fiddle with Jude's fingers and the other to reach into his jacket pocket.

Jude felt his heart picking up speed again. Oh boy. Why did Clare bring him here? The handsome demon smiled at the look of curiosity on Jude's face.

“I made you a gift,” Clarence admitted, “It's not much, but I thought it would be a pretty cool birthday present for a superhero.”

Jude watched Clare's hand slip from his pocket and noticed the small bottle in his fingers. It was a glass bottle, barely big enough to hold eight ounces, that contained some kind of red-orange liquid. The portable jar was closed off at the top with a tiny cork, which had a gold chain and small pentagram charm on the side. Jude blinked a the bottle in wonder. It was so pretty, but what was it? Jude raised his eyes to Clare's face for the answer.

“It's a potion,” the demon explained, “A courage potion. From one of Rowena's books. Took me three weeks and twenty-seven ingredients to brew. I figured that if you're gonna go around playing Superman, you might need a little extra bravery now and then. And this oughta do the trick.”

Jude's mouth slowly fell open as he carefully took the bottle from Clare's hand to look at it closely. When the liquid slashed around, more golden tones appeared near the edges that quickly faded back into red. It was so beautiful. Magical. And Clarence had spent several weeks making it. That was so sweet...

“It really works,” Clarence promised confidently, “I tried a sip before I bottled it up, and I was pretty sure that I could fight a hive of bees with my bare hands.”

A giggle escaped Jude's smiling lips. A bee hive? Really? That must have been some crazy-strong courage. Jude's eyes dropped back to the bottle in his hands and he just couldn't help himself. He really wanted to see if it worked, but more importantly, he wanted to see what it tasted like... The teenager gently popped the cork out of the bottle and brought it up to smell the contents. Rich hints of cinnamon, ginseng, and clover tickled his nose and made his mouth water a bit.

“Careful, Jay. It's strong as hell,” Clarence warned.

Jude nodded to acknowledge the statement before raising up the bottle to steal a tiny sip. It was just enough to coat his tongue – and he found out that Clare was right. Man, that _burned_! 'Courage' tasted a lot like hot sauce and mouthwash. Jude coughed a bit and shoved the cork back into the bottle as he smacked his lips together. Clarence was watching him closely; biting down a grin and staring at him as if he was waiting for something to happen... and after a few seconds, Jude could actually feel it. Huh. What was the big deal about being afraid? There was nothing to be afraid of. No reason to be shy or hold back words. For the first time in his life, Jude actually _felt_ like Superman.

“Well?” Clare prompted, “Are you ready to fight a hive of bees or what?”

Jude turned to his boyfriend and smiled. Fight a hive of bees? No. He didn't have any desire to fight. Quite the opposite, Jude had the urge to _love_. And now that he literally had the courage to overcome his shyness, Jude wasn't afraid to give it either. The teenager gently placed the bottle of red liquid into his jacket pocket – next to the condom – before stepping over to plunge his mouth against Clare's. He could feel that Clarence was smiling inside their kiss, even as Jude's hand slid up beyond Clare's shirt to touch his bare skin.

“Mmm,” Clare hummed, “You really _are_ brave...”

Jude didn't reply with words. He simply guided his tongue back inside Clarence's mouth and let his hands keep working. Clarence's torso felt so much better than it did when they first met. He was no longer boney and frail, but meaty and toned. Working with Bobby in the salvage yard and being fed by Rowena seemed to really beef him up. And feeling along his warm stomach made Jude's own body react. He could feel himself responding to the touch of Clare's body; heart racing and underwear tightening. And the best part was that he wasn't afraid. In fact, he wanted to go farther. Jude hummed a little bit inside their kiss as he reached down to grab the belt on Clare's pants...

But then, Clare's hands shot up to grab him by the wrists. The demon yanked his own mouth free and turned his blonde head away to pant in another direction. Jude also panted, making Clare's hair move around with the hot air as he blinked repeatedly. What happened? Was Jude going too fast? Could Clare taste the potion, too? What was wrong? After a second or two, Clarence carefully tossed Jude's hands away and straightened his own clothes; covering up his bare skin and refusing to look Jude in the eye. The sight broke Jude's heart. Did Clarence not want to have sex with him? Did he not want to go that far at all? But why? An awkward silence settled between them as the birds chirped and the stream of water babbled. Jude wished that there was something he could say. Should he apologize? Try to explain his actions? Thankfully, Clarence turned back just enough to shake his head.

“... I can't,” he almost whispered.

Jude swallowed hard and forced a nod. Maybe Clarence wasn't ready. Maybe now wasn't the time. Since it seemed like there was nothing more to say on the matter, Clarence took a breath and gestured toward the bike nearby. Jude could tell that he was trying his best not to let the discomfort linger between them.

“C'mon, Jude,” he mumbled, “I've gotta get you back to the party before your parents hunt me down.”

Though Jude was worried about Clare's distant behavior, he followed him back to the bike without a word. He still loved him with all his heart and was proud to hold his hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy (early) Valentine's Day, everyone! I'm finally back with the big finale! :D How many of you remember this time two years ago? Back when the very first chapter of this long story was published? It's crazy to think that the same little baby that Castiel gave birth to in that first fic is now 17 years old with a boyfriend and a car of his own, isn't it? :') (Sorry. I'm tearing up again over here. Lol) As you can tell, Jude and Clare are closer than ever, as are Jessie and Ollie. Rowena is still hanging around with her son, Ms. Jane is still single, and Dickie is still a pervert. Not much as changed in the year and a half since the last story. Lol. :D But the road ahead will be long and full of angst, which is why I'm warning you now. Also, ***Minor Spoiler Alert*** All of the teenagers will be losing their virginity this time, (Jude with Clarence, and Jessie with Ollie) which means there will be some underage smut scenes. I say 'underage' because they are still teenagers. So if that isn't your kind of thing, at least I warned you ahead of time so you can skip it. ;) ***End Spoiler*** With all that in mind, I really hope that you guys enjoy this big finale! There will be at least 14 chapters. And, as always, I will try to post every Friday morning until it's finished. :) I cannot thank you guys enough for following this story for so long (two whole years!) and I hope that you will continue to enjoy it until the very last sentence. :) Again, Happy Valentine's Day to you all! I love you with all my heart! *kisses and hugs* The next chapter – which kicks off the angst – will be out soon! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst is upon us! Take heed, fair reader, and brace yourself!

Jessica could tell that Clarence's over-the-top arrival took a chunk of her boyfriend's giddiness away. Ollie wasn't the jealous type by any means. He didn't care that Clarence hung around with Jessie and laughed with her and stuff; because, usually, they were all laughing together. The only reason Jess could think of to explain his less-than happy behavior was that he didn't feel as 'cool' as the demon boy on the motorcycle.

But Jessica didn't care about what was considered to be 'cool.' All she cared about were those big cocoa eyes under that tuft of orange hair and the big warm fingers holding her own.

“I could drive a motorcycle,” Ollie muttered, probably to himself, as he poked at the edge of the picnic table cloth, “I mean, it's probably not that hard. Like riding a bicycle. Except, you know, you have to put gas in it and stuff...”

Jessie couldn't stop the tiny giggle that bubbled out of her mouth. Oh, Ollie. Why did he think that he had to drive a motorcycle to feel tough?

“Aw, I'm sure you could, _Calabaza_ ,” Jessie hummed back.

Ollie, of course, didn't appreciate hearing his girlfriend call him by the pet name that his mom gave him. He groaned dramatically and plopped his head on the table for a second, hiding the tiny grin on his face. In the midst of Jess's giggles, he raised up again to give her a smirk.

“Alright, _Bunny Rabbit_ , whatever you say,” he challenged playfully.

Jessica laughed out loud again. That was her favorite part of their relationship; that they could pick on each other and joke around without either of them getting offended. Kinda like her parents and uncles. Jessie slid closer to the red-haired boy next to her at the picnic table to peck a kiss to his pale, freckled cheek – after which, he quickly turned his head to fully capture her mouth with his own. Jess's head was suddenly swimming as she breathed in Ollie's scent and indulged in the feeling of his wet lips on hers. For a second, she forgot she was even at her cousin's birthday party and that there were other people standing around. That is, until she felt a cold baby carrot smack her shoulder. Jessie pulled away from her kiss with Ollie to look up and see her Papa grinning down at them while he arranged the veggie tray.

“Get a room, munchkins,” he grumbled with a smile.

Behind him, Dad quickly jumped over with a stern face.

“Don't say that, Gabe,” he hissed, bringing his eyes to Jess and Ollie, “No, kids, don't get a room. Wait until you're much older.”

Jessica and Oliver both giggled, but there was a hint of heat on both of their faces as they looked away. Neither of them had talked about the big 'S' word. Frankly, they were too busy watching Disney movie marathons and playing board games to think about adult things... Near the edge of the sidewalk, uncle Cas was standing in a jittery pose with both of his arms crossed, staring out toward the main road with studious eyes.

“It's been twenty minutes, Dean,” he hissed, “Where did that boy take our son?”

Uncle Dean placed a pie on the table – closer to his own seat than anyone else's – and stepped over to pat Cas's shoulder.

“Calm your halo, babe,” he replied, “I'm sure they'll be back in -”

Before uncle Dean could even finish his sentence, the sound of Clare's bike slowly came rolling in like thunder. The jet black motorcycle, carrying both passengers, gently glided through the parking lot and resumed its previous space near the sidewalk. As soon as Clare cut the engine, both he and Jude got off and made their way back over to the group. And seemingly just in time too, because aunt Rowena was already sticking candles into Jude's cake at the table. Jessie nudged Ollie and winked at him before getting up to greet her boys again.

Strangely, the first thing that Jess noticed when Clare and Jude walked up was that the happiness on their faces had dimmed into seriousness. They weren't smiling as much as they were before they left and it made Jessie worry. Did something happen on their trip? Or did the ride turn out to be boring instead of exciting? Though she was curious, Jessie didn't bring it up. She just wanted to see them smile again; especially Jude. It was his birthday, after all.

“Hello, son,” Cas breathed deeply with a relieved look as he walked over to wrap an arm around Jude's shoulders, “Are you ready to eat your celebratory cake?”

“Yeah,” Jude nodded.

“Ah, no. No eating yet,” aunt Rowena denied, waving the metal cutter around, “Candles first, love. It's not a proper birthday without making a wish.”

Jessie was glad to see a tiny bit of bashful joy return to her cousin's face. And it seemed like uncle Cas was too, because his arm tightened around Jude's shoulder as they walked. Once again, everybody gathered around the decorated picnic table to watch Jude blow out his candles. Uncle Dean was the first one to get out a lighter. He was smiling at Jude from across the table when he struck the trigger, lighting the flame and cupping his hand around it to bring it close to the first candle wick.

But a sudden gust of wind blew it out.

The hard breeze was enough to make Jessie shiver in her purple jacket. The harsh wind seemed to pick up speed, blowing so hard that it tossed most of her hair to one side. The balloons taped to the edge of the table ripped free and danced away, all tangled together in a bouncing formation. Geez, that was strong! The rest of the family noticed the drastic change in the weather too, because they all lifted their heads and turned toward the direction it was blowing from to see if a storm was coming.

Toward the main road, just over the tree tops in the distance, a swirling black mass was barreling toward the park. At first glance, Jess thought that they were thunderstorm clouds, coming to rain on Jude's party. But the fog of darkness was moving way too fast to be part of the sky. The longer Jess stared at it, the more it seemed like a colossal billow of smoke, swallowing up the park and drowning out the sun. Before Jess could even take a step back, the huge black cloud had reached the picnic area... and the ground beneath her feet started to quake.

Jessica gasped and grabbed onto Ollie's shoulder, trying to keep her balance and remain standing. The ground was shaking hard enough to rattle the picnic table they were standing at. Jess frantically looked around at all the faces of her family as the black smoke swarmed their party and dimmed her vision. She almost couldn't see anything. It was like nighttime during the middle of the day! What was happening?! Was this a thunderstorm and an earthquake all at once?!

“Get under the table!” uncle Bobby's voice called from the dark.

With one hand holding a death-grip on Ollie's shoulder, Jessica quickly felt around for the picnic table in the dark. Ollie's arm snaked around her back to pull her close with a determined yank as they searched for the table together. In the meantime, her dads and uncles were calling for each other in the dark; shouting questions and sounding just as confused and scared as Jess felt. But there was one voice that stood out among the rest – because Jessica had never heard it before. It was more of a sound than an actual voice; a sort of deep rumbling, like boulders grinding together underwater. The noise swirled in the darkness as if it was coming from all sides, speaking in a language that Jessica had never heard before.

“... _Olapireta audcal_...”

Jessica squeaked and covered one of her ears, getting goosebumps as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It felt like the voice had whispered directly behind her, but she was too afraid to turn around. Where was it coming from?! Who was speaking?! What did they want?! Were they responsible for causing the massive fog?! What did they say?! Jessica felt the urge to call out for her parents, hoping that they would be able to calm her down and explain what was going on, but she couldn't find her voice. She was too busy searching the dark and trying her best to stand firmly against the shaking ground.

Soon after the voice spoke, Jessica heard the distant sound of a _snap_ – and, suddenly, everything was still and quiet. The area was deafeningly silent and the ground had finally stopped moving, but Ollie did too. He was frozen in Jessica's arm like a statue. She couldn't even feel him breathing.

“Ollie?!” Jess squeaked.

Before she could freak out completely, Jessica felt a pair of gentle hands take her face in the dark.

“Jessica,” Papa said, his voice high and frightened, “Can you hear me?”

“Y – yes,” Jess nodded, “Papa, what's going on?! What's happening?! Something's wrong with Ollie! He won't answer me!”

While Jessica talked and worked herself into a state of panic, she felt her papa's arms grab her shoulders and fly her away. With a rustle of wings, the darkened park was gone and she was suddenly standing in the well-lit bunker with her angelic father. Jess blinked a few times to adjust to the drastic change of light, seeing Papa come into better view. He was still clinging to Jessica's shoulders and his face was an eery shade of white. Jessica had never seen such horror on her Papa's face. But the two of them were alone. Why didn't Papa bring anyone else back home with them?

“Wh – what are we doing here?” she asked.

“Jessica,” Papa breathed, his voice shaking and golden eyes starting to glisten, “Listen to me. We don't have very long to -”

“What's going on?!” Jessica interrupted, feeling more frightened than she ever had in her life, “What was that black smoke? What did that voice say? Why are we here? Pop, we need to go back! Ollie isn't moving!”

“ _I stopped time!_ ” Papa shouted, making Jessica flinch, “Oliver isn't moving because I stopped time, Jessica. See? That's why the clock isn't moving,” he rambled in a frantic rush as he pointed to the motionless clock on the wall nearby, “You and I are basically working outside of the space-time continuum right now, but I can't hold it for very long, so you need to listen to me, okay?”

Though she was still a little confused and scared out of her mind, Jessica obeyed. She nodded and listened to her papa, but he was moving and speaking so fast that she almost couldn't understand what he was saying. He flew them to her room, where he started searching through the things on her table in a frenzy.

“It's the darkness. I don't have time to explain the whole story, but that's what it is. I don't know how it broke free, but it just called out my name,” Papa said, still rummaging through her stuff, “'Olapireta Audcal.' It's Enochian for 'Golden Light.' And that's what I am, Jessica. It sought _me_ out. I'm pretty sure it's after me because I was one of the four archangels that locked it away.”

Jessica's head was spinning. Darkness? Golden light? Four archangels? She could barely keep up with Papa's story as he talked. He must have found what he was looking for, because he swiped it out from under a bunch of papers and flashed back over to Jessica. She glanced down to see a small wooden box in his hand; the enchanted jewelry box that uncle Crowley made her for her tenth birthday. Papa thrust it into her hand and used his own to make two vials appear out of thin air. They were extremely small glass jars linked to necklaces. Once he had them, Papa grabbed Jess's shoulder to look her in the eyes again. The absolute fear on his face made Jessica's heartbreak. In the blink of an eye, Papa flew them back inside the darkness. His face disappeared in the lack of light, but Jess could feel his hands still clutching her shoulders.

“I don't know what's about to happen, but you've gotta be ready,” he breathed, “I'm going to give you my grace, okay? And Castiel's too. Keep them in that box until you and Jude are ready to use them. You're going to need it to lock this darkness away again -”

“ _P – Papa?_ ” Jess exhaled in confused disbelief.

“Find Michael,” Papa kept going, talking fast and high, “Make him help you. Do whatever you have to do to get him on your side. And use the buddy system like we taught you. You, Jude, Oliver, Clarence – you stick together, alright?”

Before Jessica could find her voice again, she felt her Papa's hands leave her shoulders. She was briefly left alone in the dark with the wooden box in her hand, but saw a small flash of blue light twinkle in the distance. Papa must have been getting Cas's grace, like he said, because he returned with a glowing necklace in hand. The jar was the source of light, shining with a pale blue aura. Jessica opened the lid of her wooden box so that Papa could put Cas's grace down inside. After it was safe in her possession, Papa paused again to grab her shoulders. Though she couldn't really see him in the dark, Jessica could tell by the crack in his voice that he was on the verge of crying.

“I love you with all my heart, baby rabbit,” he whispered, “Your Dad and I both do. No matter what happens, just remember how proud of you we are.”

Hot tears were slipping down Jessica's face without her even being aware. Why was he saying those things?! Was something bad about to happen?! Jessica's stomach ached terribly. The wooden box that contained her uncle's grace was trembling in her hands as she blinked into the dark.

“The second you get my grace, time is going to start again,” Papa explained, “and when it does, you need to grab Oliver and Jude and fly to Bobby's house, okay? Don't look back. Just go, make a plan, and save the world. Don't worry about me. Don't worry about Dad. Don't worry about Dean or Cas or anyone else. Stay focused and do what you have to do.”

Jessica gulped hard in the dark, feeling the enormous weight of responsibility resting on her shoulders. How was she supposed to know what to do? What was she going to do with Cas and Papa's grace? She didn't want anything to happen to them! Even though she felt the urge to panic, Jessica took a breath to brace herself. Her papa had given her a very important job to do. And if he had enough faith in her to hand over his very grace, then he must have believed that she had the power to use it.

“Okay,” Jessie whispered, accepting the monumental challenge.

She felt a pair of lips on her cheek, and heard Papa's voice say ' _I love you_ ' again, before the bright aura of his grace lit up the immediate area. The light was coming from Papa's neck, where it looked like he had sliced himself open. The golden glow poured out and drifted into the other glass vile, filling it and making it shine even brighter than Cas's. In the brief space of time that she could see, Jessie spotted Ollie frozen next to her and Jude and Clarence paused in the middle of hiding under the picnic table. She made sure to remember their locations because she knew that she was going to have to grab them and fly away as soon as time started.

And just like Papa predicted, the moment his grace finished leaving his body and was shut away inside the wooden box, the ground started to quake again. Jessie gasped and held the box close to her chest as she wobbled around and heard the sounds of her family again. Over everyone else's voices, she could hear Papa's again. He only said one word.

“Go!”

Tilting her head down in determination, Jessica started by stuffing the wooden box into her jacket pocket. With both hands free, she lurched toward Ollie first; grabbing his arm as tight as she could. Once she had him, Jessica used her other hand to feel around for the picnic table, where she dropped down to reach underneath and grab one of the other boys by the scruff of the neck. She wasn't sure if it was Jude or Clarence, but it didn't matter. The two of them were clinging to each other and would both fly away with her when she took off.

And that was exactly what she did. Jessica's heart was telling her to stay and help her parents, but her mind and body knew better. She followed the instructions that her Papa had given her; flying her boys to the safety of Bobby's house. The four of them landed in the kitchen, where afternoon sunlight was pouring into the windows to brighten the whole place. Jude, Clare, and Ollie all gasped and looked around with huge eyes, seeming shocked but relieved that they were in a new place.

“Wh – where are we?” Ollie asked, “What is going on?”

“This is Bobby's house,” Clarence explained, noticing the familiar surrounding, “I just left here this morning.”

As if on cue, uncle Bobby's three hellhound mutts came running in from the study to investigate the intruders. Peter, Willy, and Humphrey all seemed equal parts excited and confused to see the teenagers standing in the kitchen. But looking down at the happy dogs made Jessica feel like throwing up. How could they be so happy when something so horrible was happening?! The blonde girl swayed around a bit before backing up to fall into one of the kitchen chairs. She let out a tiny sob as her eyes refilled with warm tears. Oh, God, what if her parents were dead? What if that fog of darkness killed them? And all her uncles? Papa and Cas were graceless, now. They were human. And while she didn't know what the darkness was, Jessica knew in her heart that four humans couldn't stand a chance against it...

“Jessie?” Jude asked, walking over to stand with her at the table, “Are you okay?”

It wasn't until Jessica noticed her cousin's complete lack of concern that she realized he didn't know about any of it. No one else was aware that Papa stopped time and took her to the bunker. None of them knew that she was holding two vials of angel grace in her pocket, or that their parents were probably in mortal danger. _She was the only one who knew!_ How was she going to tell them?

“N – No,” Jessie squeaked, shaking her head, “That darkness. It came for Papa. And he g – gave me his grace. He said we're going to need it. I think it's going to take them, Jude. That darkness is going to – going to hurt them! And we have to stop it!”

The horror on Jude's face made Jessica feel even worse. She sniffled a bit, which caused Ollie to kneel beside her and take her hand with worry. Behind him, Clarence walked up wearing a scrunched nose with all the dogs wandering around his feet.

“Then why are we _here_?” the demon asked, “Take us back to the park so we can kick its ass!”

Just as Jessica opened her mouth to deny Clare's bold request, a puff of black smoke appeared near the fridge. Jessica gasped and jolted up from her seat, afraid that the darkness had somehow followed her to Bobby's house. But, to her great relief, the smoke disappeared to reveal Crowley, Rowena, and uncle Bobby, who was holding a very frightened Dickie. The three of them – four, including Papa's dog – stumbled into the room and blinked in unison, seeming to adjust their eyes to the light. Jessica was so relieved to see them. If her aunt and uncles were able to get away, then maybe her parents did too!

“What in the name of Hell was that?!” aunt Rowena gasped.

“I have no idea. I just did what the blonde jester told me to do,” Crowley mumbled back.

Blonde jester? Was he talking about Jessica's Papa?

“You talked to Papa?” Jessie stepped forward to ask.

“Only for a brief moment,” Crowley answered, patting out the front of his suit, “He thrust that mutt into Robert's arms and told us to get out of there. I wasn't about to argue with him.”

“What about Dad and Papa?” Jude inched forward to ask, “Where are they?”

Crowley, Bobby, and Rowena all seemed to give each other sad, pitiful looks. The sight of their woeful expressions were enough to confirm Jessica's worst fear. Oh, no. They were dead, weren't they?! No, they couldn't be dead! They were _her parents_! They couldn't _die_! Jessie turned to bury her face into the cavity of Ollie's chest, trying to find comfort and stop the tears from rolling down her face. She felt his long arms reach up and circle her back, holding her broken pieces together with a firm grip.

“I believe that shadow took them to another place.”

Jessica halted the floodgate of tears long enough to raise her head and look toward her aunt Rowena. The red haired witch didn't seem very upset; just curious, like she was deliberating something. Her eyes wandered around the room for a second before finding Bobby and Crowley again.

“Didn't ya see that sliver of gray before we left?” she prompted, “Or was I, yet again, the only one paying any sort of attention?”

Crowley took a deep breath of exhaustion and braced both hands on his hips, giving his mother a stern look.

“Out with it, woman. Share your bloody information with the class,” he grumbled.

Rowena sighed and glanced around the room, seeing the eager teenagers near the table.

“Well, I can't be certain,” she began carefully, “but that shadow seemed to swallow them up, like it was taking them somewhere. I caught a glimpse of the other side just before Fergus brought us home.”

“What did it look like?” Bobby asked, still holding Dickie's shivering body in his arms.

“... Gray,” she replied, “There was no color at all. Just fragments of gray.”

Jessica looked around at everyone in the room, hoping that at least one of them would be able to figure out the place she was talking about from the tiny description. For the most part, everyone appeared confused and worried. Even Bobby, who was usually really good at already knowing things.

“That could be anywhere,” he said.

“Ah. Not just anywhere, love,” Crowley interrupted, his eyes growing calm with knowledge, “I know exactly which place she's talking about...”

* * *

When the darkness hit, the only thing on Gabriel's mind was making sure that his daughter and the rest of the kids were safe. He knew how ridiculously powerful it was; how destructive and merciless Darkness could be. And hearing it call out his name like they were old friends made Gabriel panic. Using his grace to stop time was a ballsy move. He wasn't sure if it would actually work, but he was so grateful that it did. Because it gave him the extra minute and a half he needed to fill Jessica in and get her ready to fight.

Because Gabriel was pretty sure that Darkness was going to kill him, and he wouldn't be able to help her if he was dead.

He wished that he could go with Jessica. He wished that he could just fly everyone to safety and think up a game plan together, like they always did. But Gabriel also knew that the darkness was only after _him_. Where ever he went, that damn cloud was sure to follow, so his main focus was to get everyone else away as soon as possible. Gabe wanted his daughter to go first and gave her the most important things he could think of beforehand. He remembered how difficult it was to lock the darkness away the first time – how it took all four archangels just to back it into a corner to trap it – and he knew that his daughter would need his grace. And probably Cas's too. He knew that Castiel wouldn't mind giving up his grace, especially for their children. There wasn't any time to consult Cas about it. Gabriel was running on panic, not logic. He didn't have the time nor the power to stop Darkness from taking over.

After watching Jessica fly the teenagers away in the dark, Gabriel turned his focus on the rest of the family. Through the blur of shadow and quaking Earth, he scooped Dickie up and shoved him into the arms of the nearest person. In the meantime, Gabriel could feel wind picking up again. It was violently blowing him backward, pushing him toward some kind of vacuum. Shit, he didn't have anytime left! The end was nigh! Death wasn't just knocking at the door, it was barging in to get Gabe.

“Crowley!” he shouted over the wind, “Get the hell out of here! Help our kids!”

Gabriel knew that the demon king had the ability to fly. He just hoped that the guy would heed his warning and do as he was told for once. Luckily, Gabe felt his dog disappear from his fingers, which meant that Crowley must have flown away. After that, Gabriel couldn't fight the wind anymore. It was too powerful for his human self to fight against. The last thing that passed through Gabe's mind as he felt himself being sucked away was Sam. Oh God, he forgot to say goodbye to Sam. How could he have forgotten to say goodbye to his own husband?! Ugh, Gabe was the shittiest person in the world! Sam was going to be so sad without him! But there was nothing he could do now. It was too late.

The archangel closed his eyes and braced for death, hoping that it would be quick and painless. He was expecting to fall into some sort of sleeping state and never wake up. The void that Dad always called 'The Big Empty,' was the place where angels went when they died. At least, that's what Gabriel thought. And he was prepared to spend the rest of eternity asleep there in the dark.

But when the wind stopped and Gabriel's body was still, he opened his eyes to find trees instead.

They were different from the trees on Earth, though. These were all old and worn with battle scars, like a scene from an old war movie. And they had no color at all. Everything was gray and bland; forest, sky, ground, foliage. The wooded area around Gabriel felt so cruel and rabid... This wasn't the Big Empty...

“Gabe?”

The sound of Sam Winchester's voice echoed to Gabriel like a beautiful song, making the archangel gasp and spin around. Holy shit! Sam was still with him?! No way! Gabe instantly started running in the direction of his husband's call, rounding a few bushes to get to a small clearing – where he saw Sam, Dean, and Castiel all standing around together. The sight of Sam's stupidly handsome face made Gabriel almost squeal with joy. He immediately raced over and catapulted himself up into Sam's arms, wrapping both of his own around the kid's neck to hold him tight.

“Sam!” he grinned, feeling moisture in his eyes, “I – I'm so glad to see you!”

Sam's long arms hugged Gabe back for a second, but eventually sat the archangel back down so that they could look at each other again.

“Are you okay?” he asked, “Have you seen Jessica?”

Gabriel gulped, remembering everything that he just went through with his daughter. Sam was definitely not going to like the answer to his question. Before Gabe could even take a breath, Castiel interrupted.

“Dean,” the blue eyed angel said, reaching out to grab Dean's shoulder with a look of acute worry, “I – I don't have my grace.”

“What?” Dean gasped, “What do you mean?”

“It's gone,” Castiel said, patting his chest, “I'm human. I cannot fly. I don't know what happened.”

“I do,” Gabriel admitted.

All three sets of eyes turned to gaze at the archangel, who could feel the weight of his decision tugging at his stomach. His feet shifted around on the gray dirt as he glanced among his family.

“I gave Jessica our grace,” Gabe explained, “Mine and yours, Cas. I... I was pretty sure that the darkness was going to kill us, so I gave our grace to the kids. I thought they would need it more than we did, especially if we were dead.”

“Darkness?” Sam repeated, “You know what that thing was?”

“Yes,” Gabe sighed, “and trust me, Sam. We're supposed to be dead right now.”

“But we're not. At least, I don't think,” Dean pointed out, pausing to look around, “Where the hell are we? Maybe we _did_ die. Is this Heaven or something?”

“No,” Gabriel muttered, swallowing a hard gulp as he turned to give his husband a serious look, “... This is Purgatory.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! What a way to start the angst, huh? Gotta love that ol' Winchester luck. XD I really hope that this chapter wasn't too difficult to read. I know it seemed to move really fast and I tried my best to keep it coherent, but it's hard to write coherent chaos. Lol. :) As Gabriel pointed out, the Darkness called him “Golden Light” in Enochian. I used an online Enochian dictionary for the phrase, so if it's wrong, please correct me. I have no idea what I'm doing *insert science dog meme here* XD I know the angst seems pretty bad right now, but I totally have a plan, even if our characters don't. ;) I hope you guys had a great Valentine's day! Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter! :) 
> 
> **Concerning the Darkness** : As you may have noticed, this is not the same character from canon. My version of the Darkness is not physically related to God, nor is it some woman who has a weird crush on Dean. (I still cringe just thinking about that... Yeah, I pretty much hated Amara. lol) This version of the Darkness was a collaborative effort by me and my good friend, _gothichic_ from FF.net. (She gave me the idea and I sort of ran with it. I'm so sorry! I couldn't help myself! Lol) More about the Darkness will be revealed as the story goes on, but I just wanted to give you a heads up that it's not canon at all. Hopefully, this version will be much better. And much, much more devastating. ;) I hope you stick around to see where it goes! :D The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Sam took another good look around, feeling himself inch closer to Gabriel without thinking. He had read a few books and articles about Purgatory before and heard some of Dean's old stories – but learning about a place and actually being there were two different things. The lore never mentioned the colorlessness; the eerie gray hues and deep contrasts of black and white. Dean never thought to tell Sam about the smell; the overpowering stench of rotting wood and the faint whiff of dead animals. And neither of them could accurately describe the air itself. Every breath Sam took felt like it was full of mist; as if he was breathing in gross fog from a dirty humidifier. Physically standing in Purgatory offered much more to Sam's awareness than a story ever could...

Luckily, it seemed like Sam wasn't the only one that felt completely lost and uncomfortable in this place. Gabriel was still clinging to his arm with a death grip and searching the trees around them with paranoia, as if he thought some kind of creature was going to jump out and carry him away. Dean and Cas, on the other hand, appeared to be more upset and confused than anything. Dean exhaled deeply and scratched the back of his head, spinning in a slow circle before looking back at Gabriel.

“Okay, so...” Dean started, pausing to get his words all lined out, “So that big black cloud of smoke brought us to Purgatory, but the kids are still back at the park? And you gave them Cas's and your grace? What the hell, man? You mind telling us what's going on, and why I'm not with my kid right now?”

Sam also looked down at his short husband next to him, wanting to hear the answer for himself. It really sounded like Gabriel knew more about what was happening than anyone else. With his hand still clamped on Sam's arm, the archangel took a bracing breath and finally started to explain.

“That wasn't a cloud,” Gabe answered softly, “That was Darkness.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Dean snapped, “It was darker than a hellhound's asshole back there – ”

“No, you're not listening to me, bowlegs,” Gabe interrupted, “That was _Darkness_... _The_ Darkness... As in, ' _God separated the Darkness from the light._ ”

Sam scanned Gabriel's face, seeing absolute honesty – and a touch of genuine fear – in his expression. His eyes, which were usually gold but were now sadly monotone gray like everything else in Purgatory, were wide and piercing when he spoke. And Sam was at a loss for words. Did Gabe just quote the bible? Was he talking about the darkness that existed long before the universe was ever created? A few feet away, Cas's eyes grew large.

“How?” the angel breathed, sounding appalled, “How did it escape?”

“If I had to take a guess, I'd say it's because Cain is probably dead,” Gabe answered. He must have seen the look of total loss on Sam's face because he turned to explain. “Cain was the keeper of the key that kept Darkness locked away. You know, Mark of Cain? It – it's a ridiculously long story, moose. I won't force you to listen to the whole thing.”

Sam was actually pretty curious to hear about the story. In almost twenty years of their partnership, Sam had never heard Gabriel even mention Cain. Or the Darkness. All of this stuff was new to him.

“How do you know that it's the Darkness or whatever?” Dean blurted, looking and sounding skeptical, “What if it's just some weird monster?”

“With the power to transport us to an entirely different realm?” Gabriel scoffed, “Trust me, Dean-o. It's Darkness. It... called my name, okay? It _remembered_ me. It knows that I was one of the four archangels that locked it away. And I'm pretty sure it was out for my head.”

“But you're still alive,” Cas pointed out, his eyes narrowing inquisitively, “Why would it place us here instead of killing us?”

Sam looked back to Gabe to hear his reply, but it seemed like he was out of answers.

“I have no idea,” the guy huffed, fingers shaking around Sam's arm, “Maybe to save us for later? Torture us? Kill us slowly? Who knows how ancient cosmic beings work...”

For a second, all four Winchesters stood together and blinked in silence, letting Gabriel's random theories simmer in their minds. Wow. None of those options seemed very pleasant...

“Maybe it was too weak to kill us,” Dean quietly suggested, “Being locked away since the dawn of time is bound to take away anyone's strength, isn't it?”

“That's a good point,” Gabriel muttered, his face lightening a bit, “But he still would have been able to kill us if...”

Gabe's voice trailed off and he turned to look toward a set of charcoal trees nearby. Sam, Dean, and Cas all followed his sight in the same direction – where Sam heard the distant rustle of leaves and snapping of twigs. The sound seemed to be coming close fast; too quickly for any of the Winchesters to properly react. The slate-colored bushes were ripped apart, making way for a group of strangers to enter the tiny grove. Five large men – wearing shredded, eighteenth century clothes and baring sharp-toothed grins – bounded up to stop and appraise the Winchesters. Gabriel squeaked and jumped behind Sam, hiding himself from view. Sam, however, stood his ground. He had fought worse things than a pack of werewolves...

“Look, boys,” one cooed, stepping close with his eyes glinting, “Fresh meat.”

While the werewolves laughed, Sam felt like rolling his eyes. Really? Fresh meat? Could these guys be anymore cliché? Although Sam wasn't intimidated by the pack, Gabriel seemed terrified. The archangel jerked Sam's shoulder back and stood on the tips of his toes to hiss into Sam's ear.

“We've got to get out of here! Cas and I are _human_! They can _kill_ us!” he desperately whispered.

Oh, shit. Gabe was right. These werewolves were nothing for Sam and Dean – but Gabe and Cas were graceless. Suddenly, memories of Gabriel being human when he was pregnant with Jessica all those years ago were flashing in Sam's mind, making him remember how frail, and weak, and human Gabe was. And if Gabe was anything like that now, he didn't stand a chance against a single person, let alone five werewolves.

After this stunning realization, Sam spared a glance toward his older brother a few feet away, hoping he had some kind of plan. Dean was already standing in front of Cas like a barricade, shoulders broad and eyes narrowed toward the predators. He turned to give Sam a slight nod as he reached for his waist band, signaling that he was going to give the rest of the guys a head start by using his gun to hold off the werewolves.

“You boys want fresh meat?” Dean growled, “Come and get it.”

As soon as Dean pulled out his gun and fired the first shot, Sam spun around to grab Gabe's shoulder and Cas's arm and shove them in the other direction. Cas was reluctant to move at first, because he was worried about Dean, but Gabriel was gone in a flash. He practically dragged Sam away by the arm, towing him through ash-colored brush and forest to get to safety. Dean only fired three shots before he started running for it, too. Normally, the Winchesters stayed and fought their way through whatever monsters came their way. But with two graceless angels, a few pocket knives, one gun, and limited ammo, running was the best course of action at the moment.

Unfortunately, the pack of werewolves was bigger than they thought. When Gabriel rounded a giant, half broken tree, he nearly ran into another pair of them. They had been waiting for the Winchesters to run right through their path; a perfect trap for frightened prey. Gabriel squealed and jumped backward, desperately clawing his way into the safety of Sam's long arms. In the meantime, Dean and Cas skidded to a stop behind them and turned to face the other five headed their way. All four Winchesters were suddenly surrounded.

As Sam held onto his cowering husband and stared at the grinning, razor-sharp teeth in front of him, he suddenly remembered what he had in his possession. Oh! There was a switch-blade in his pocket! And it was made of solid silver! These assholes were in for a rude awakening. Sam quickly and discretely pulled the knife from his pocket and clicked it open just as one of the werewolves lunged forward. He forcefully stabbed the creature in the neck, making it shriek and scramble back in pain. When the other tried to do the job, Sam stabbed it too – only this time, he shoved the blade straight through its temple, killing it instantly.

Behind him, Dean and Cas were trying to fight off the other five werewolves, who were chomping hungrily toward them. Sam – still dragging around Gabriel, who refused to let him go – shifted around to help out his brother and brother-in-law, making careful and accurate strikes with his silver-coated pocket knife. He stabbed one directly in the chest and ripped the blade free before jamming it into the skull of another, plunging the knife as far as it would go into the bone.

“Sam, here!” Dean called, hand open while he fought with a werewolf of his own.

Running on hunter's instinct, Sam freed his weapon and tossed the only blade to his older brother, who caught it and immediately killed the creature that was after him. Once it was dead, there was only one other werewolf – who was running after Gabe. Sam gasped and looked to his side, realizing that his husband was no longer holding onto him, but fleeing away.

“N – nice doggy! Good doggy! Don't eat me! Go back to the pound!” Gabe yelled as he sprinted through the trees.

Without thinking, Sam raced over, grabbed the knife from his brother, and chased after the last werewolf, determined to keep the damn thing from hurting his archangel. By the time Sam caught up with them, the werewolf had knocked Gabe to the ground and was scrambling in the gray leaves to get to him. Its spear-like claws were visible in the scuffle and the sight made Sam's legs move even faster. The tall hunter dove toward the werewolf and landed on its back, where he stabbed it repeatedly in the upper shoulder. It screamed and rolled over to throw Sam off, but Sam hung on long enough to get a hold of its head and bury the blade directly into its eye socket. As soon as the stubborn werewolf screamed and went limp in his grasp, Sam let it go and crawled over to check on Gabriel.

Gabe was panting and sitting on the ground, holding onto his left leg and letting out soft whimpers. Sam directed his attention to his husband's leg first, where the bottom of his jeans were shredded with jagged claw marks. Sam reached out to carefully pull up his husband's pants leg and found five deep gashes stretching all the way down his calf and shin. Blood was leaking from all the gashes, pouring streams down his leg to soak his shoe and sock. Seeing the severe wound made Sam feel so sick. Shit. Gabriel couldn't heal himself. There weren't any doctors or pharmacies here. Just four grown men with no medical supplies. How the hell was Sam supposed to help his husband now?

“H – hold still, Gabe. Relax,” Sam began, knowing that panicking would only make it worse.

“It got me!” Gabe squalled dramatically, “Oh my Dad, I'm going to turn into a werewolf! No! I don't wanna be a dog!”

“Gabriel, you're not going to turn into a werewolf,” Sam huffed as he ripped off a strip of his own shirt, “You weren't bitten. Just clawed. You'll be fine.”

In the back of his mind, Sam was tempted to wonder if Gabe would really be fine with this deep of a wound. A small part of him worried that if they stayed in Purgatory for longer than a few days, they might end up with something worse than just minor injuries. If one of them died here, would they die forever? No. Sam didn't want to even think about it. He focused on tying the makeshift tourniquet above Gabe's knee to slow the bleeding instead of dwelling on bad thoughts.

As Sam tried his best to doctor his pitiful archangel, Dean and Cas came wandering up behind him, tired and out of breath. It was weird to hear Cas actually panting. But, then again, was anything about this day normal?

“I'm getting too old for this shit,” Dean huffed, pausing by Sam to brace both hands on his knees to catch his breath. In the meantime, he caught sight of Gabe's leg wound and said, “Seriously? We've been here for three minutes and you're already hurt? Geez, we need to get out of here.”

“Yes. I agree with Dean,” Cas huffed, “We must return to Earth as soon as possible. If Darkness has returned, the entire world is in grave danger. Including our children,” the angel paused and his eyes widened to full capacity, “J – Jude and Jessica are alone!”

“No they're not,” Gabe chirped, still holding onto his injured leg, “I told everyone to go to Bobby's house. Clarence and Ollie are with them, and so are Singer, Crowley, and Rowena. Hell, they've even got Dickie.”

As he held pressure to Gabriel's wound, Sam paused to think about that statement. It was nice to know that everyone else was together in a safe place. Sam couldn't imagine how scared his daughter probably was at the moment, but at least she was okay.

“Sounds like the kids are safer than we are right now,” Dean mumbled as he reached over to pat Cas's shoulder with a reassuring glance.

“Right now,” Cas repeated, his tone much less hopeful, “It won't take Darkness long to spread, Dean. And when it does... The children will face much worse circumstances than simply being trapped in Purgatory.”

The look of severe anguish and concern on Cas's face made Sam's heart hammer hard in his chest. The thought of his young daughter and nephew having to face something so evil and dark made him want to puke. No. They couldn't let the kids do this alone. Sam swore that he would protect Jessica at all costs. And if he had to transcend different realms to do it, come hell or high water, he was going to make sure it was done.

“Then we need to find a way back to Earth,” Sam replied sternly, “Now.”

* * *

Jude fixed his eyes on his uncle Crowley in Bobby's kitchen, too shocked to do anything else but stand there with his mouth open. Crowley had just told everyone where the big dark cloud had taken his parents and uncles, but he had trouble believing it.

“Purgatory?” Ollie repeated the answer out loud, sounding just as surprised as Jude, “That's an actual place?”

“Of course it's an actual place, boy,” Crowley muttered back, “Where do you think vampires, ghouls, and other monsters go when they die?”

Jude's heart nearly bottomed out. Die? Purgatory was the place monsters go when they _die_? But if Jude's parents were there, did that mean they were dead too?! Feeling anxious, Jude stepped nearer to Clarence's side, hoping that the close proximity would help keep him calm. And, as if he could sense Jude's distress, Clarence reached out to wrap both arms around Jude's shoulders; giving him a comforting squeeze. Jude nuzzled himself deeper into the embrace, letting the smell of Clare's warm chest slow his heart beat. Beside them, Jessie stepped forward with tear-stained cheeks but a hopeful look in her eye.

“Can our parents come back from there?” she quickly asked, scanning all the adults' faces.

Crowley scoffed loudly, giving a light-hearted chuckle as he glanced around the room smugly.

“Can they come back,” he repeated with a smile, sounding as though Jessie had just told a joke, “My dear girl, Dean and Castiel have already been there once. They re-murdered half of Purgatory together before jumping through a portal to get back to Earth... But that was many, many years ago. Long before you two were born. God only knows if the portal is still there and working.”

“I could find out,” aunt Rowena volunteered, actually raising her hand with a smirk, “After all, I'm practically the keeper of this family. I've found you lot more than Fergus finds his own backside.”

Crowley gave his red-head mom a sideways glare, obviously offended by what she said, but Bobby was the next person to speak. He sat Dickie down on the floor – after which, the dog ran straight to Jessie's feet where he walked around her in worried circles – before pointing out another problem.

“It's good that we can get the boys back,” uncle Bobby nodded, “but why are they even in Purgatory in the first place? What the hell was that giant black fog?”

“It was the Darkness.”

Everyone in the room turned to look at Jessie, who had just answered with sorrowful confidence. She sighed and curled some of her windswept blonde hair behind her with one hand while she left her other lodged in her jacket pocket.

“This is going to sound weird, but when the black cloud came, Papa stopped time for a minute,” she explained, “He told me that it was the Darkness, and that it was after him because he helped lock it away or something. And he took me to the bunker to get this.”

Jessie carefully pulled her hand out of her pocket, revealing the small wooden jewelry box that had been in her room for years. It was the one that uncle Crowley made her for her tenth birthday; one under a spell that only she could open. Jude stared down at Jessie's box in confusion. Why would he go back to the bunker just to give her that?

“A jewelry box?” Clarence questioned in a curious tone.

“No,” Jessie breathed.

She paused to place her hand over the wooden lid and whisper her own last name, which opened the box. A pair of bright lights shined from the inside as she pulled back the lid, illuminating the whole kitchen with a divine glow. Jessie reached down inside to raise two necklaces with tiny jars of light. Everyone else in the room stared at the lights in awe; especially Jude, who took a keen interest in the blue-ish white one. Why did it look so familiar?

“Papa gave me his grace,” Jessie said, “and Cas's, too. He said we were going to need it to defeat the Darkness.”

Jude blinked at the two glowing necklaces with his mouth open, unable to feel his own limbs. No wonder that blue-ish white one seemed so familiar! That was his own Papa's grace! It was the same light he was conceived in; the same light that healed him and cared for him all his life. And now, Papa was without it. He didn't have it in Purgatory, which meant he was only human there...

“And how exactly are we supposed to do that?” uncle Crowley asked with a lifted eyebrow.

Jessie gulped and carefully lowered the necklaces back into the box. She firmly closed the lid again, sealing the angelic graces behind a spell that only she could access, before shaking her head sadly.

“I don't know,” she muttered, “He just gave this to me... and told me to find Michael.”

“Michael?” Bobby repeated, his eyes growing under the bill of his hat, “The – the _archangel_ Michael?”

Jessie shrugged a little, seeming unsure.

“I guess,” she answered.

Jude looked to the kitchen floor for a second to think. Michael. He remembered uncle Gabe telling him about Michael a long time ago, when they were trapped together in that cage in Heaven. Gabe said that Michael was the oldest archangel, and that he was supposed to be fighting Lucifer in hell or something. But Jude assumed that Michael was dead. No one ever talked about him, even after uncle Gabe went down to hell to check on him and Lucifer. But was he alive? If he was, why didn't he ever come to meet Jude or Jessie? Was he a bad guy, like Raphael? Or was he just stuck somewhere and unable to get away, like Jude and Gabe had been in Heaven?

“So, all we have to do is locate and recruit the oldest and most powerful archangel in existence, then?” Crowley mumbled in a flat tone, “... Lovely.”

For a second, the entire kitchen was silent. Everyone looked in different directions and let all the information sink in. Jude wished that there was something he could do or say to make everything better; to bring back the rest of his family, cheer Jessie up, and let everyone return to his birthday party like nothing happened. But all he could do was stand next to Clarence and try to brace himself for what was ahead.

“Fergus,” aunt Rowena called, waving at Crowley, “Take me to yer throne room so I can fetch my things. We can't afford another minute.”

“Fine,” Crowley huffed, reaching out to pat Bobby's shoulder, “Darling, will you be alright with the teenagers while take my mother to hell and back?”

“Yeah. Just don't take too long,” Bobby requested, voice tainted with a hint of anxiousness.

After kissing Bobby's bearded cheek, Crowley turned his attention to Clarence. His dark eyes remained soft even as he gave the blonde half-demon a stern expression.

“Look after the old man in my absence, Clare,” he said, sounding like a real parent.

“I always do,” Clarence replied with a tiny wink.

Jude felt a hint of a smile on his own face when he looked up at his boyfriend's pretty eyes. It was nice to think that Clarence always took care of Bobby when Crowley wasn't around... With a few goodbyes, Rowena linked her arm around Crowley's and the two of them vanished in a puff of black smoke. Their departure seemed to leave the kitchen in a somber state. Again, no one seemed to know what to say. It was only after Bobby coughed loudly and inched toward the study that Jude snapped out of his worried trance.

“Kids, I'll be right back,” he mumbled, “Y'all stay right here, okay?”

Jude, Jessica, and their boyfriends all nodded and watched the old man disappear into a different room. Once he was gone, the four of them crowded together in a comforting circle by the table. Jessica scooped Dickie off the floor and up into her arms, where she held him tight. Jude eyed all of his friends, wishing that he could provide answers and safety for them all.

“So much for a happy birthday. Sorry, Superman,” Clarence huffed, tightening his arm around Jude's shoulder, “At least you're okay.”

“Yeah,” Jude shrugged, “but now I'm worried about everyone else... Jessie? Did uncle Gabe say anything else about the Darkness?”

Luckily, Jessie wasn't crying anymore, but sadness was still written all over her pretty face. She kissed Dickie, took a deep breath, and shook her head.

“No,” she admitted, “I don't think it's an actual person, though. Just a big cloud of...”

“Darkness?” Ollie finished.

“Yeah,” she muttered, “Like an evil thing that had to be locked away a long time ago.”

“So, what about Michael?” Ollie asked, his eyes flickering between Jessie and Jude, “Is he, like, your uncle or something?”

“Yeah, he's Gabe and Papa's oldest brother. The first archangel,” Jude explained, “but no one has seen him in forever. He was supposed to be fighting our uncle Lucifer in hell, but he's missing I think.”

Ollie blinked his brown eyes a few times before raising his head to share a look with Clarence. The two of them were wearing the same expression, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing.

“Jay,” Clare smirked a little, drumming his fingers on Jude's shoulder, “You've got one hell of a family tree. You know that?”

Jude looked toward his cousin and they nodded in unison. Yep. Jude and Jess knew that their family tree was huge and full of famous people. But it wasn't always a good thing. Sometimes, those people turned out to be crazy mass murderers, like his uncle Raphael. Or terrible fathers, like Grandpa John...

“So, um, I don't mean to put a damper on things,” Ollie mumbled as he reached up to scratch the back of his redhead, “but I sorta left my book bag at the park. And it literally has all of my homework in it, so -”

“ _Shit_ ,” Clarence interrupted, his eyes wide with realization, “My new guitar is back there, too! And my bike. Dammit...”

Jude was tempted to think about all of the things he left back there – his untouched birthday cake, Dad's car, his _own_ new car – but he knew that there were more important things to be worrying about. Like the fact that his parents weren't even on Earth at the moment.

“Don't worry, guys,” Jessie soothed, reaching over to pat Ollie's chest, “I'm sure all of our stuff will still be there after we take care of this... monster.”

The word 'monster' made Jude's ears perk up. He met eyes with Jessie again and could tell that she was thinking the same thing. In a way, this was Jude and Jessica's first time fighting a monster without their parents. This might be their first solo hunting trip without adult supervision. Jude and Jess were thrown into the middle of this just like their parents always were; without warning and with very few resources. At least for them, they had Gabe and Papa's grace on their side...

While the teenagers stood around and stared at each other, they heard the sound of a television click on from another room. A lady's voice started talking in the distance, making Jude and his friends give each other strange looks. Curious to see what was going on, the four of them migrated into the study, where they found Bobby standing in the middle of the room. He was holding a remote control and staring at the small TV on the bookshelf with a deeply concerned look.

The news station on TV was broadcasting bits of video footage that contained glimpses of dark clouds. The headline underneath read, ' _Breaking News: Strange Weather Phenomenon_.' The lady's voice kept speaking as the video played clips of people running from the dark fog.

“ _... stated that it was not related to any foreign attacks,” the news caster said, “At least four major cities in the United States have reported this wide spread smoke, as well as seven other cities around the world. Officials have not yet released a statement on whether this smoke is harmful or toxic, but are requesting that people in the affected areas stay indoors to prevent causalities. Should you come into contact with this bizarre phenomenon, it is recommended that you take shelter immediately and avoid staying out in the open. Eyewitnesses have also reported several earthquakes being associated with the mystery smoke, and many are advised to –_ ”

Before they could hear any more of the news report, uncle Bobby's television shut off – and so did the lights in the house. Jude sucked in a breath of air and slid closer to Clarence in the dim room, realizing that the power had been shut off. Bobby tossed his remote away and turned to look at the teenagers with wide eyes. It seemed like he was just as shocked by the power going out as they were.

“Wh – what's happening?” Jessie breathed, clinging to Dickie and Ollie's arm.

“It's alright,” uncle Bobby assured, stepping over to get to the window, “Everybody stay calm.”

As much as Jude wanted to stay calm, he just couldn't. His heart was beating hard in his chest and he wished to have his parents by his side so much. He clung to Clarence instead, who seemed much more relaxed than anyone else. The teenagers watched Bobby look out the window, silently hoping that the darkness hadn't found them. Even from a few feet away, Jude could see the sky outside dimming, as if the sun was being blocked by clouds.

“Balls,” Bobby whispered under his breath, “I can see it billowin' up into the sky from here...”

Jude gulped and turned to look up at Clare, feeling like he was on the verge of panicking. Oh, God! The Darkness was coming again! Where were they going to go? What were they going to do? How could they run away from something that could surround them in seconds?!

While everyone clung to each other in fear, 'The Macarena' started playing in the study.

It was the Spanish part of the upbeat dance song, filling the room with cheerful music. Everyone looked toward the source of the sound, which seemed to be coming from Ollie. The guy's face went almost as red as his hair as he quickly searched around his pockets. His cell phone kept playing the melody as he looked at the screen with worry.

“Guys,” Oliver said over his loud ringtone, glancing around at everyone's faces, “My mom is calling...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave it to Ms. Jane to call her little Calabaza and interrupt at the best time. XD Don't worry too much about the slight cliffhanger, guys. I promise our babies will be safe. And our babies in Purgatory will be safe, too. (Even Gabe, the clumsiest human ever.) ;) I hope that the story isn't moving too slowly right now. I'm just trying to make sure I cover as much plot in as possible, because more action is on the way. And not just angsty action, if you know what I mean. ;) *cue the sexy music* XD Thank you guys soooo much for reading and reviewing! I love each one of you to pieces! :D The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	4. Chapter 4

For once in his life, Dean was actually glad that he went through something terrible in his past. His first trip to Purgatory was jarring, terrifying, and nothing short of a severe wake up call. The last time his feet were planted on gray soil, his only mission was finding Cas. Reclaiming the angel he had fallen in love with and making sure they both got back home safely was the only thing he cared about. It took them a few months to navigate their way through the sea of monsters and find the exit, and during that time, Dean adapted to his surroundings. He found his stride; made survival weapons, picked up some tricks to use in combat, and grew closer to Cas through the hardship. And Dean desperately hoped all of that knowledge was still there. He hoped that the portal was still open and that he remembered the way to it.

Because this time, it wasn't just him and Cas that needed to get out. It was Sam and Gabe, too. Both angels were graceless, Gabriel was already injured, and to make things even worse, the gray sky was starting to dim. Night was falling in Purgatory, which meant there were worse creatures than werewolves to be concerned about. The vampires would come out to feed, the ghouls would scour the place for flesh, and Leviathan – if there were any left here, from Raphael's past visit – would surely descend from all corners to feast on the newcomers. The open area the Winchesters were currently standing in was about to be overrun with monsters, and Dean knew he needed to get everyone to a safer spot.

While Sammy worked on bandaging Gabe's leg and getting the bleeding to stop, Dean speedily searched the ground for some relatively sharp rocks. When it came to primitive and savage territory, primitive and savage weapons were a must. The last weapon he made here was constructed from a leg bone and sharpened slate, and he planned to recreate a few copies of it again. In the meantime, a gentle voice in the back of Dean's mind was softly reminding him that he was separated from his son. Jude was still on Earth with that dark cloud, having the worst birthday ever. But Dean tried his best to ignore the topic of his child as he worked. Not because he didn't want to think about Jude, but because he needed to maintain his focus. _He's with Bobby and Jess_ , Dean mentally replied to the frantic voice in his head, _Don't worry. Jude is fine_.

“Can you stand up, Gabe?”

Dean glanced back to see that Sam was on his feet and holding both bloody hands out to Gabriel. The short archangel whimpered and winced a bit – acting like an injured five-year-old, rather than an ancient being – but eventually let Sam raise him up.

“Ow!” Gabe squeaked, wobbling against Sam's torso, “How the hell do you guys do this for a living?!”

“A lifetime worth of practice,” Sam answered blandly.

Dean found a few suitable rocks among the leaves on the ground and piled them up, switching his search over to sticks and bones. It wasn't hard to find a few ribs and teeth; they were scattered everywhere, like the whole forest was a mass grave. But Dean was looking for femurs and tibias; long strong bones that wouldn't break as easily. A 'thunk' drew Dean's attention to the side, where Cas had dropped down on his knees beside him. Cas's eyes were a little vacant – as if he, too, was having trouble not thinking about their son – but his hands were moving in the gray leaves.

“What are we looking for, Dean?” the angel breathed, ready to help.

Dean gulped first, wishing that he could help his own husband feel better about this horrible situation, but eventually relocated his voice.

“Bones,” he answered, “We've gotta make some blades... Cas, do you remember where the portal is?”

“Faintly,” Cas nodded, his low voice flat, “I recall it being far to the North-West, but without knowing our current location, it would be hard to decipher... Let's use the bones from the werewolf corpses.”

Dean raised his head to look at the few dead carcasses nearby. Duh. Why didn't he think of that before? With Cas on his six, Dean walked over to yank Sam's pocket knife out of the eye socket of a werewolf and used it to cut into its leg. The loud ' _sclurge_ ' sound it made as Dean dug around to pull out its bones caused Gabriel to gag.

“Ugh!” the archangel groaned like a wuss, “What the hell are you doing, man?!”

“We need its bones for weapons,” Cas explained so Dean wouldn't have to.

“Seriously?!” Gabriel huffed, “Ew, this place is like Fear Factor on steroids! We've gotta get home!”

“We _are_ going to get home,” Dean barked as he worked, using a bit of force to rip the tibia free from the dead werewolf's meaty leg, “but in order to do that, we have to find the freaking portal.”

“And to get there, we must have weapons. Thousands of undead abominations stand between us and our passage back, and seeing as you and I are powerless, sturdy weapons will heighten our chances of survival,” Cas explained.

“Plus, it's about to get dark around here. We can't see in the dark, but those monsters can,” Dean added, “So unless you want to be dinner for some ancient ghouls, I suggest we find a safer place to camp.”

Dean finally freed one of the bones and passed it to Cas, who started to wipe off the excess blood.

“Camp?” Sam repeated, his voice a little high, “You mean, you actually want to camp _here_? In _this_ place?!”

Dean paused his slice into the werewolf's leg to look up at his little brother. Sam was clearly petrified by the idea of staying in Purgatory longer than he needed to, but Dean knew better.

“We can't move at night, Sam,” Dean denied, hoping that his brother understood, “We get as much ground covered during the day as we can, and then we stop moving at night. Because that's when they come out. That's when they all _feed_. You and I might be able to fight off waves of monsters, but these angels can't. And I'm not putting them at risk... Okay?”

Dean tacked on the last word so that his message wasn't too strong. As if on cue, a distant howl echoed through the ashy trees, making everyone look toward the sound. The screech vibrated around the area and faded out as the wind blew, making the hairs on the back of Dean's neck stand on end. Damn, he hated that sound... When silence returned, Dean looked back up at Sam and Gabriel, who were holding onto each other for dear life.

“Okay,” Sam gulped with a nod, “What kind of place are we looking for?”

“Somewhere with good cover and at least two escape routes. We don't want to be completely closed in,” Dean explained.

“Got it,” Sam confirmed, “Come on, Gabe. I'll help you walk.”

“Walk? What if I need to run?!” Gabe asked nervously.

“Then I'll carry you,” Sam resolved with a sigh, leading the archangel away.

“Really? You'll carry me? Like a real moose? Maybe we should fashion a saddle or something,” Gabe joked in a shaky voice.

“Don't push it,” Sam mumbled.

Not wanting Sam and Gabe to get too far ahead, Dean freed the last leg bone he needed from the corpse and turned to gather up the rocks. He stood up to follow their brothers, but when he glanced back at his husband, Dean stopped. Cas had that look on his face; that deathly anxious, fearful expression he wore back when Jude and Gabriel were kidnapped by Naomi. It was the look of a parent without a child; a terrified mother who longed to hold her baby.

“D – Dean...” Cas almost whispered.

He didn't have to say anything else. Dean already knew how Cas was feeling, because he was feeling it too. Neither of them knew if their son was okay. They didn't know for sure if Jude was hurt or not; whether he was safe, or alone, or scared. Whether he knew that they were still alive. All they had to go on was faith. And though he was tempted to fret over his son's well being, Dean had hope that Jude would be alright. The kid was practically an adult, now. And he was the son of the two most badass warriors of all time. Wanting to comfort his worried husband, Dean stepped over to wrap his free arm tight around Cas's shoulders; tugging him into a warm embrace to press a firm kiss to the side of his head.

“Jude is gonna be alright, Cas,” Dean softly promised into his ear, “We're going to make it back to him.”

Dean could feel Cas's arms trembling around his torso, but he held his own limbs firmly around his angel. He knew that Cas needed support right now, especially since he was human. In return, Cas's head weakly nodded against Dean's shoulder.

“Yes. We are,” Cas replied in a determined tone.

* * *

When Darkness fell on Sioux Falls and started to surround uncle Bobby's house, he told everyone to spread out and throw blankets over the windows. He theorized that if the Darkness couldn't see the people inside, it might pass over the house. And although the electricity was off and it was difficult to see without the lights on, all of the teenagers did what he asked. Jude and Clarence went upstairs to cover the second floor windows while Jessie and uncle Bobby covered the ones on the first floor. Poor Oliver, however, was stuck on the phone with his worried mom, trying his best to calm her down.

Apparently, the Darkness had taken over most of Kansas already and knocked out the power, which forcibly closed Ms. Jane's clothing store. Of course, in light of such a wide-spread disaster, her first instinct was to call her son, make sure that he was okay, and ask him to come home, but it was hard for Ollie to tell his mom where he was without her freaking out even more. While uncle Bobby and the Winchesters lit candles and searched the radio stations for information in the kitchen, Ollie had taken his mom's frantic phone call into Clarence's empty bedroom. Jessie wished that she could help him somehow, but what could she do? The whole world was being affected by dark clouds. The only way she could stop it was by doing what Papa told her...

Aunt Rowena and uncle Crowley returned in less than twenty minutes with armfuls of books, equipment, and a few jars of ingredients. Staring at all the things on the table in the kitchen made Jessica wonder if all of this witchcraft stuff would really help. It had always helped before, but this time seemed different. This time, her parents and uncles weren't around to make sure everything went according to plan.

“Okay, dumplings. Here's what we're going to do,” Rowena cooed as she unrolled a black sheet of felt fabric on the table, “Fergus is going to be a good boy, and use a location charm to find your uncle Michael -”

“I am?” Crowley blurted, narrowing his eyes at his mother.

“ - and in the meantime, I'm going to figure out a way to link the portal in Robert's garage to the one in Purgatory,” she continued, eying the three teenagers, “It shouldn't take long to find Michael, but the portal will take a wee bit longer. I suppose that after we speak with the archangel, we should figure out a way to get rid of this 'Darkness' fellow. I'm hoping to have the portal linked by then.”

It felt like Jessie's head was spinning. This was all happening so fast. She was proud of her aunt Rowena being so level-headed when she, herself, felt like panicking. Still, Crowley was blinking at his mother in disbelief.

“And just how do you propose I find a missing archangel?” he grumbled, “Shall I just pull him out of my arse?”

“Aye. That's what you tend to do with everything else, isn't it, love?” Rowena smirked and batted her eyelashes at her son.

Crowley's glare was his only reply, but luckily Rowena regained a serious composure.

“We'll just use the spell that we used to find Clarence's drug-addicted birth mother,” she replied, “Since the children are technically related to the archangel lad, a strand of their hair should suffice.”

It seemed like Crowley was glad to hear her resolution. His sight drifted to Jude and Jessica before coming to rest on Bobby near the fridge. He reached out to pat the old man's shoulder with a gentle hand.

“Darling, I'm going to need your globe,” he said, “And some rubbing alcohol. And those left-over Jellyfish parts, if you have them.”

Jessica turned to share a weird look with Jude. Jellyfish parts? What kind of weird science experiments and spells were Bobby and Crowley doing with aquatic animals? Surprisingly, Bobby seemed indifferent to hearing the bizarre list of ingredients that Crowley needed. He just nodded and turned to go retrieve the items. While Bobby left the room and Rowena opened her books and sorted her things on the table, Crowley stepped over to the teenagers and held out his hand.

“I'm going to need a strand of hair from one of you,” he informed, his eyes staying fixed on Jessie, “Preferably yours, love. The length will be easier to work with.”

Without hesitation, Jessica quickly combed her fingers through her own hair and caught a few stray pieces. She gathered the strands in her palm and held them out to Crowley, who gently scooped them up and took them to the counter. As he walked, a slight rumble echoed up from the floor. Bobby's house shook a little bit, as if a small earthquake was taking place. Rowena paused to hold onto the table, Crowley hugged the counter, and Jude and Clarence clung to each other, all looking around at the walls and ceiling with worry. Jessie reached out to steady herself with the nearby door frame until it stopped. The rumbling noise and movement eventually died down, but it left everyone in the house trembling. What was happening out there? Was the Darkness causing earthquakes or something?

When Jessie straightened back up, her first thought was of Ollie. Was he okay? Did the rumbling scare him too? Desperate to check on him, Jessie quietly slipped out of the kitchen and sneaked down the hall to Clarence's bedroom. The door was cracked open and she could hear Ollie's voice as she approached.

“Yeah. South Dakota,” he huffed into his phone, “No, Mom, we just... we just drove really fast, that's all... No, I'm not lying. That's really where I am... I promise, everything is okay. I'm not hurt... No, don't try to drive mom, it's dangerous out there! … Yeah, I saw it on the news, too... I'm still with Jude and Jessie...”

Jessie gulped a little as she peeked inside to see Ollie standing by a lit candle on Clare's dresser. His red hair was a mess, from where he kept raking a nervous hand through it, and his face was full of regret. But his eyes, those chocolate orbs that Jessie loved so much, they were full of pain. It was clear that Oliver didn't like being away from his mom during this crisis. He was worried to death about her, and having to lie about what was going on didn't make it any easier.

As Jessica stared at the boy she loved with all of her heart, seeing the distress and anxiety all over his face as he walked around and tried to calm his mother, she began to wonder if their relationship was the cause of all his problems. Would things be better for Ollie if he didn't know the Winchesters? Would he be safer if he wasn't in Jessie's life? If they weren't together, Ollie would probably still be with his mother, where he belonged. Jane and Ollie could wait out the Darkness together, in their beautiful home, safe and sound. Instead, they were torn apart and worried about each other. All because Jessie wanted to keep him with her. And that didn't seem very fair...

“No, don't say that, mom,” Ollie almost begged, plopping himself down on the end of Clare's bed so that he could lean over, “Please don't... I know you're worried, but driving in the dark isn't going to help... Sioux Falls, but don't – No, don't get in the car, mom. Please... I love you, too... I don't know what's happening, but I'm sure it'll be okay... No, I haven't gone outside... I know you do, but... I'm not going to leave Jessie here, mom. She's – she's all shaken up...”

The more Jessica listened to her boyfriend's concerned voice, the more her eyes began to fill with tears. She could tell that Ollie just wanted to go home; that he missed his mom so much and just wanted to be with her. But he couldn't go anywhere because of Jessie; because he felt like he had to stay for her...

Burdened with guilt, Jessica slowly backed away from the door. Really harsh and painful ideas started to bloom in her head as she felt a hot tear roll down her cheek. Maybe things would be better for Oliver if he wasn't romantically involved with Jess. If it came down to it, Jessica could easily reshape Oliver's memories with her grace. She could erase herself and her family from his mind and Jane's, making it as though they had never existed. If she did that, would it change the future? All those visions she had seen of them being together as adults – the precious faces of the children that she and Ollie were supposed to make some day – would it all go away if Oliver forgot about her? Would he find someone else? Have a life, marriage, and children with someone else? Would he be safer? Would he be happier?

“Jessie?”

With a sharp intake of breath Jessica turned in the hallway to see her cousin and his boyfriend. Jude and Clarence walked up to her with worry, both holding candles and searching her face.

“You alright, Barbie?” Clare asked, his tone low and hard, as if he was ready to hurt anyone who had made her cry.

Jessica sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes, trying to give herself time to think of her reply. She was actually grateful that two of her best friends had found her in the hallway, because she felt like she could fall apart at any second. In the candlelight, Jessie glanced between Jude and Clarence's questioning eyes as she stepped closer to them and away from the cracked bedroom door. Should she tell them about her thoughts? Would they understand?

“Ollie is worried about his mom,” she explained, taking a deep breath.

“Is Ms. Jane okay?” Jude asked, his eyes widening with concern.

“Yeah, I think she's fine right now. She just wants to be with Ollie,” Jessie assured, “But I... I was just thinking that... M – maybe things would be easier if I... sent him home...”

“Sent him home?” Clarence scoffed, pausing to glance around the darkened room, “Uh, I think you need to take another look around, Jess. Sending that kid home would be a death sentence.”

“No,” Jessie denied, shaking her head and feeling her tears resurface, “I mean send him home _for good_. If I wiped his memories of us, he would have a better life... Oliver doesn't deserve this. He didn't do anything wrong -”

“Neither did we,” Jude softly pointed out.

“Yeah, but he's different. He's human,” Jessie argued, “The only reason he's stuck in this mess is because of us, and he deserves a chance at a better life, right? It's like Dad said. Being a hunter is a curse. And if I can keep that curse from happening to Ollie, shouldn't I do it? I mean, I – I love him with all my heart and I want to be with him, but I don't want to keep him out of selfishness. I only want what's best for him -”

“ _You_ are what's best for me.”

Jessica nearly gasped again and spun around at the sound of Ollie's deep voice. The freckled-faced boy had stepped out of Clarence's bedroom and was still holding the phone, but his cocoa eyes were fixed on Jessie. Looking at Oliver – and knowing that he heard everything she said – made more warm liquid pool in Jess's eyes.

“Jessica, please don't send me away,” Ollie begged, reaching out to tenderly hold her hand, “I know I'm not much help in these 'Superhero' situations, and that I probably get in the way a lot. I can't kick much ass – but I know _you_ can. And I'll do whatever I can to help you get your parents back and stop that giant ink monster. Besides, you oughta know by now... that _you_ are the best part of my life. I won't leave you, Jessie. I'll stay right here and help you.”

Tears were slipping down Jessie's cheeks faster than she could stop them, but they were slowly morphing from sad tears into happy ones. Here, Jessica's mind was set on the notion that Oliver was stuck in this situation because she wanted him there, but she never stopped to realize that Ollie _wanted_ to be there. And hearing him confirm it out loud made Jessica feel a little better. She quickly wiped the fresh tears from her face again before stepping over to pull her Ollie-pop into a fierce hug; breathing in the sweet smell of hibiscus on his shirt and letting the feeling of his heartbeat calm her down.

“I love you,” Jessie whimpered on his shoulder.

“I love you too,” Ollie back, his free arm tight around her back.

“Wow, Red,” Clarence's voice murmured behind them, “That was so cheesy, it gave me indigestion.”

There was a small _thump_ , which Jessie assumed was the sound of Jude forcefully nudging Clarence in the ribs, and Clare hissed a tiny 'ow.' Ollie and Jessie stayed in their embrace for a moment or two before she raised her head to look at his adorable face again. Jess could hear the faint sound of Ms. Jane's voice on the phone, rambling frantically in Spanish. Ollie noticed Jess's glance toward the phone and sighed.

“Listen, I know my mom isn't supposed to know about your family secrets or anything,” Ollie began, “but, is there anyway that we can bring her here? She's freaking out and wants to drive all the way to South Dakota in the dark.”

Jessica gulped and looked back at her cousin Jude, hoping that he could give her some ideas. Jess knew that she had the power to fly and could easily transport Jane to Bobby's house in less than a minute. But that would mean venturing back out into the Darkness, and Jess could almost hear her Dad's voice in her mind, warning her not to even think about risking it... But this was Ms. Jane. She was practically Jessie's mother-in-law already. Jude seemed to be thinking the same thing because he gave her a woeful nod. Though it was dangerous right now, flying was the best option...

“Here,” Jess said, quickly pulling the wooden jewelry box full of grace from her pocket and holding it out to Jude, “Keep this safe. I'll be right back.”

“R – right back?” Ollie repeated, his eyes growing, “Wait, what are you – ?!”

Before she heard the rest of Oliver's panicked question, Jessie concentrated her grace and flew from Bobby's house. Her feet landed inside Ms. Jane's clothing store in Lebanon, near the checkout counter at the front. Just like Bobby's house, it was dark here; no fluorescent bulbs or natural light at all. The huge glass walls around the entrance displayed the sea of black fog just outside, where people on the sidewalks seemed to be running for safety. Inside the store, a few customers were all using cell phones in the dark, trying to see what was going on with their built in flashlights. Nervous chatter filled the whole area.

It only took Jessie a few seconds to locate Ollie's mom. The sound of her loud Spanish voice was a dead giveaway. She was staring out the window at the front, gripping her car keys tight with one hand and clutching her cell phone with the other. Thankfully, Jessie was able to approach Ms. Jane from behind, which gave her the added advantage of stealth.

“Calabaza?! Oliver?! Are you there?!” she nearly shouted into her phone, “Answer me! … What? …No, you need to come home! … _Porque ya lo digo_!”

Being as quick and quiet as possible, Jessica stepped over and reached around to tap Jane's temple. Jess used her grace to turn the woman unconscious – knowing that it would be easier to explain everything later when they were safe, rather than now while they were in a dangerous spot – and caught her around the waist as she fell over. Her car keys and cell phone fell out of her limp hands and dropped to the floor. Once Ollie's mother was in her arms, Jessica immediately flew back to Bobby's house, leaving the store full of confused and shocked customers behind.

The two of them landed in the dimly lit study, where Jessica instantly turned to lay Jane down on the vacant sofa. She tried her best to be as gentle as possible, making sure to rest Jane's head on a pillow and straighten both of her legs out. As Jessie brushed some of Jane's dark hair away from her face, the sound of footsteps came rushing into the study. Jude, Clarence, and Oliver all came in with happy faces, appearing glad that both ladies had returned. Ollie glanced at his cell phone, which he was still holding to his ear, and turned it off.

“Mom?” he asked, walking over to look at Jane on the sofa.

“I, um, put her to sleep,” Jessie explained, “Don't worry. She'll wake up in a few hours. I just wanted to get her here without freaking her out -”

Before Jessica could even finish her sentence, Oliver's lips were connected to hers. He had given her a pair of sweet puppy eyes and swooped in for the kill; cradling the back of her head and pulling her close by the hip to meet their mouths. Jessie's eyes fluttered shut as she enjoyed the sudden kiss. Wow. Ollie must have been really grateful to have his mom back. It was a good thing she was unconscious right now, otherwise this kiss would have made her really uncomfortable... Ollie eventually pulled back to look his girlfriend in the eye with a bright smile.

“You are the sweetest angel in the world,” he breathed.

The only thing Jessie could do in response was let out an airy giggle. Once again, her head was too busy swimming to really focus on thoughts. It wasn't until uncle Bobby cough loudly that she remembered there were other people in the room. Bobby, holding a lit candle in one hand and a large globe in the other, gave each of the teenagers a glance before looking down at Ms. Jane with a frown.

“Ah hell,” he sighed, “Which of you young'ins went and got her?”

Heat flashed on Jessie's face as she felt every eye slowly gravitate to her. Uh-oh. Was uncle Bobby going to be mad when he found out that she went into the Darkness again? Luckily, the old man only huffed an upset sigh and shook his head.

“I'm glad the lady's alright and I don't mind her staying... but please don't leave the house again,” he asked flatly, “I'm already worried sick about your dads. I can't add y'all to the list, okay?”

“Yes sir,” Jessie instantly nodded.

All of the boys bobbed their heads in unison too; even Ollie, who couldn't actually fly anywhere. Bobby nodded with them and gestured to the kitchen.

“C'mon. We're gonna find that archangel,” he mumbled.

After giving Oliver's mom one more glance to make sure she was sleeping peacefully on the sofa, Jessie took Ollie by the hand and led him into the kitchen with the rest of the guys. Rowena was hard at work at the table, cycling through old books and combing through the objects in her large bag. When Bobby handed off the globe to Crowley, another mild tremor shook the house, making everyone cling to the nearest person. Jessie briefly closed her eyes and held tight to Ollie's arm, wishing it would all just go away. The shaking eventually stopped and Crowley positioned the globe on the counter near the fridge.

“So, how is this spell supposed to find that Michael guy?” Clarence asked.

“It's relatively simple,” Crowley replied over his shoulder, as he crushed up something in a bowl, “We're going to pour this mixture over the globe and recite a certain phrase. Since we are using a strand of Jessica's hair, the spell will cause to globe to reveal the location of any living ancestors by making their whereabouts shine on the map. And since she is the daughter of an archangel and Michael is the oldest archangel in existence, his location should shine the brightest.”

Everyone nodded blandly, glad to know how the process worked – except for Ollie. His mouth was open and there was a smile twitching on the corners of his mouth.

“ _Awesome_ ,” he commented in a whisper.

Jessie smiled at her boyfriend as she squeezed his hand. It was so cute to see him get excited about magic. At the counter, uncle Crowley did exactly what he said. He started by pouring a thick, clear liquid over the globe, coating the entire thing in a thin film. Uncle Bobby held a candle close to the tiny world so that they could see what they were doing. When the small world was covered, Crowley held his hand toward it and muttered a Latin phrase, too low for Jess to hear the words. After a few seconds, tiny sparkles of light started to appear on the globe. All of the teenagers gathered close to the counter to see it in action. Lots of points of light were scattered all over the place. Were those... angels? There were so many, she could hardly count them all! So many family members she had never met before! Why were they all on Earth? And why didn't she know any of them?

“Here,” Crowley hummed, pointing to the globe, “This has to be him.”

“Where is it?” Bobby asked, holding his candle even closer.

Jessie could hardly see the words on the globe, but uncle Crowley could. He leaned close to the round map and studied the dot of light, reading which city it was closest to. The answer must have been pretty humorous to him, because he turned around to smirk at everyone – especially Clarence.

“Chicago,” Crowley purred.

Everyone looked toward the blonde demon boy in the kitchen, who was suddenly wearing a huge smile. Chicago was his home; the place where he was born, abandoned, raised by witches, and finished going up on the street. He probably knew every single nook and cranny of that city. And hearing that Michael was there seemed to make his day.

“That's right, bitches,” Clare grinned, “I've got this.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. That's right. Michael is in Chicago. What's he doing there, you ask? We shall see! :D Although the Winchesters have been trying to prevent it for many years, I believe the penny is about to drop for our lovely Ms. Jane. Everything she thought she knew is about to be flipped upside down. Lol. :D Btw, that Spanish phrase she said earlier, “Porque ya lo digo!” translates to “Because I said so!” (but I am, sadly, not fluent in Spanish, so if it is wrong, please correct me!) :) Also, Jessie tends to take after her Dad when it comes to bad inner thoughts, like the ones she had in this chapter. She and Sammy (and most of the characters in this story) are quick to jump to the conclusion that things are somehow their fault. (aren't we all like that, sometimes?) ;) Luckily, Jessie had her boys to talk her down. And her Ollie-pop to kiss all the bad thoughts away. ;) I hope you guys are still enjoying the story so far! Thank you sooooo much for reading and commenting! The next chapter – _which contains some first time Jollie smut!_ – will be out soon! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I stated before, this chapter contains some underage smut between Jessie and Ollie, who are only 16, so be advised. Oh, and Sam Winchester? if you're reading this, just skip to the next chapter, buddy. You don't want to see the end of this one. ;) Enjoy!

Jude could tell that his boyfriend was excited about Chicago just by the twinkle of determination in his earthy eyes. Clarence was the only person in the room wearing a smile, too. Everyone else was still somber from the events that had taken place – and were _still_ taking place – around them. But Jude had to admit that while he didn't feel very happy about his current circumstances or being without his parents, Clare's smile actually made him feel better.

“Which part of town is that bastard in?” Clarence asked uncle Crowley, “Lemme guess, he's in South Side, isn't he? That place is a cesspool. All the weirdos come from South Side.”

“Actually, I'm not sure of his exact location,” Crowley admitted, “Robert's globe is too small to pinpoint it.”

Jude felt his own heart drop with disappointment, but he tried to look on the bright side. At least they knew the general area that Michael was in. That was better than nothing, right?

“So, we're gonna have to go search for him on foot?” Bobby mumbled everyone's thoughts out loud.

Before Crowley answered, another rumble shook the house. Everyone grabbed the nearest person or solid surface to keep from falling over. Some of the dishes in the kitchen cabinets vibrated out and smashed to the floor, making Jessie and Ollie both shriek. Jude held on to Clarence's arm for dear life and closed his eyes, wishing it would all go away. ' _It's alright, little man_ ,' he tried to imagine his dad's voice in his head to calm himself down, ' _Nothing can hurt you as long as you're with family_.' The shaking eventually shuddered to a stop, leaving the candle-lit kitchen in silence again. Crowley huffed a breath of annoyance and straightened out his suit.

“Yes,” the demon king replied, “The children will have to search for Michael on foot.”

Jude carefully opened his eyes and raised his head to look around the room. Wait, the children? None of the adults were going to look for Michael? Bobby chuckled a little, as if he thought that Crowley was being funny.

“The kids?” he repeated, “No, the kids are stayin' here.”

There wasn't a shred of humor on Crowley's face; not even a hint of smugness. For once, he looked absolutely serious as he blinked back at Bobby with dark eyes.

“No. The four of them are going to fly to Chicago together, find Michael, and bring him here,” Crowley spoke every word carefully.

“Then I'm goin' with 'em,” Bobby spat back, the lit candle in his grasp flickering from his harsh breath.

“No, _darling_. You're going to stay in this house,” Crowley commanded, gesturing a hand toward the study, “That woman is going to wake up in a few hours in a hysterical fit with no recollection of how she got here, and I don't have the time or patience to deal with it. Mother and I must concentrate and find a way to patch these portals together, or we can kiss the thought of the Winchesters' return goodbye.”

Uncle Bobby's mouth was hanging wide open. It was like he almost couldn't believe what he was hearing.

“I ain't lettin' them go alone! Dean and Sam would literally _kill_ me if they knew I sent these kids out into that black hole by themselves,” he breathed, sounding a bit terrified, “and Cas and Gabe would bring me back so they could kill me again!”

“We're not _kids_ ,” Clarence blurted.

Jude looked up at the blonde guy in his arms and could see that his excitement had faded into a touch of resentment. He glanced between his two adoptive parents with an arched eyebrow and a stern expression.

“I'm nineteen, and I've been on my own since I was eight years old,” he reminded.

“Nineteen translates to ' _still a kid_ ' in my book, son,” Bobby argued.

“Yeah? Well, I know Chicago better than anyone else in this room,” Clarence added, “I can slip in and out of anywhere in that city in no time flat. And with Barbie's jet-pack wings,” he said, gesturing to Jessie, “We can have Michael here in less than twelve hours.”

Although he was proud and a bit envious of Clarence's confidence, Jude could feel his own heart beating super fast. The mere thought of venturing out into that black smoke was enough to make him terrified. He didn't want to leave the safety of uncle Bobby's house – but he trusted Clare. The guy did know the Chicago area better than anyone. And if Clarence was leading the 'Michael search party', Jude would gladly follow him... Still, uncle Bobby seemed hesitant to let them go.

“And how'er you gonna find him once you get there, huh? You got some archangel radar or something?” the old man asked.

“Jude and I might,” Jessie admitted, getting everyone's attention by raising her hand a bit, “I mean, we might be able to pick him up on angel radio or something.”

Crowley smiled a bit and looked back to Bobby, tilting his head to the side as if he was trying to say, 'I told you so.' But it looked like Bobby was actually starting to get afraid. He huffed a big sigh, which almost blew out the candle in his hand, as he turned back to glance at all the teenagers in fear.

“And what if one of you gets hurt, huh?” he barked, “How am I supposed to live with myself knowing that something happened to one of y'all on my watch?!”

“If something happens, you can blame me,” Clarence volunteered.

Jude gulped as his boyfriend stepped forward, inadvertently pulling Jude along. The demon guy was standing proudly in the middle of the room, shoulders back and head held high as he stared at Bobby.

“I'll take care of them all,” he promised, “Hell, I'm the oldest anyway. I'll keep them safe from that Darkness shit... Even Gingerbread. Especially Gingerbread.”

“Thanks man,” Ollie squeaked from the back.

For a moment, Jude could only stare up at Clarence in complete awe. He had always admired Clare's independence. Jude adored how grown-up and protective his boyfriend had become over the last year. And seeing Clare's devotion with his own eyes never failed to give Jude goosebumps. Holy crap, Jude loved Clarence so much...

Still, uncle Bobby seemed set on not letting the teenagers go. He only glanced around at all their faces while his candle trembled in his hand. Jessie eventually stepped up to Jude's side to look uncle Bobby in the eye, too.

“Papa told me to do this,” she reminded, her voice almost as low as a whisper, “He trusted me with his grace, uncle Bobby... I think that means he's okay with it.”

Jessie's statement seemed to seal everything. Though her and Jude's parents weren't there right now, which still broke Jude's heart, it was clear that their dads trusted them. Dad, Papa, Sam, Gabe – they had _faith_ in Jude and Jess. And maybe even Clare and Ollie, too. The Winchester family had practiced the buddy system so many times, it was second nature. The reluctance on uncle Bobby's face slowly morphed into saddened defeat. The candle was still trembling in his hand and his bottom lip was starting to quiver a bit inside his grayish beard. He spared a quick glance at his wrist watch and huffed a sigh.

“Twelve hours,” Bobby repeated Clare's earlier estimation in a hard tone, “I'll give you twelve hours. And if you kids ain't back here by then, I'm gonna come after you myself. Alright?”

“Okay,” Clarence nodded with another smirk, “Don't worry, Bobby. We've got this.”

There was a brief space of time in which everyone took turns hugging each other. Jude and Jess hugged uncle Bobby, Clare hugged Crowley and Rowena, and Ollie sneaked into the study to hug his unconscious mom and whispered that he loved her. It was a quick goodbye; long enough to leave a good memory, but short enough to save precious time. Once all the goodbyes were out of the way, the teenagers met back in the kitchen and huddled together near the table. Jessie made sure that the wooden jewelry box with their papas' grace was in her pocket and they all held hands. Jude could feel his own fingers trembling. He wasn't ready to face that huge black cloud again – but if Superman could do it, he could too, right?

“When that clock gets back around to three, all four of you better be standing in my kitchen again,” Bobby warned in a threatening tone, even though his voice cracked a bit, “I don't care if Michael is with you or not, just come straight back.”

“We will,” Jessie promised.

“Thanks for taking care of my mom, Mr. Singer,” Ollie nodded.

“We'll be alright, Bobby,” Clarence assured.

Still, Bobby sighed and turned away, as if he was trying to hide some sudden tears.

“Go before I change my mind,” he croaked.

Luckily, before Bobby _could_ change his mind, Jessie used some of her grace to fly everyone away. Jude closed his eyes tight and braced himself for the oncoming sickness that usually appeared in his stomach when he flew. He guessed that Jessie was letting Clarence direct her, because the flight seemed to take a little longer. Almost five whole seconds went by before Jude felt solid Earth under his feet again. He quickly opened his eyes afterward, hoping that the sight of a motionless surface would help him not to get sick – but it was terribly dark outside.

All four teenagers – still holding hands – were now standing in the middle of a city street, where tall buildings reached toward the swirling black mass in the sky. There was no sunlight at all, even though it was three o'clock in the daytime. A hard breeze was flowing through the area, picking up stray trash and tossing it in the air. The sounds of sirens, breaking glass, barking dogs, and shouting echoed from all over the place. Jude could faintly see flashlights bouncing through the dark haze, as if people were running all over town. Windows of the tall buildings were black and there were no streetlights at all. Jude tried to calm his breath as he looked around in fear, but it wasn't helping. It was so dark here! What was happening? What was that big black mass in the sky? Why was the ground shaking? There was nothing but chaos here!

“Holy shit, it's like the Doomsday Blackout all over again,” Clarence shouted above the noises.

“Wh – what do we do?!” Ollie shouted back.

“How are we supposed to find Michael _in this_?!” Jessie cried out, sounding so scared.

Before anyone could answer her, a pair of bright lights came rushing up behind them. A loud horn blared and Jude gasped, realizing that a huge truck was barreling straight toward the four teenagers. Everyone scrambled out of the way just in time for the truck to fly by, but it still made Jessie scream. Once they were on the side of the road and next to a large building, the teenagers rose to their feet and tried to breathe.

“This is crazy!” Jessie yelled, her voice high and terrified and her hand shaking inside Jude's, “We don't belong here! This shouldn't be happening! I can't take this!”

“Whoa, _shhh_ ,” Clare hissed, “Don't scream! You'll draw attention to us. Breathe, blondie. We just need to get inside somewhere, okay? Hold hands. Follow me.”

Though Jude felt very distraught himself, he did exactly what Clare said. He gripped the guy's hand as tight as he could and followed his footsteps, seeing that they were headed around the huge stone building and down the street. On their way, several people ran by them in a rush, carrying huge TVs and other electronics. Jude assumed that they were stolen, but it was hard to tell when everything was so dark. The ground rumbled again, making everyone pause and cling to each other with gasps, but Clarence kept pressing on, leading them toward some unknown location.

By the time they stopped, Jude could almost hear Jessie panting. It sounded like she was on the verge of freaking out, which was a little surprising for Jude. Between the two of them, she was the strong one. If Jessie couldn't handle this, how was Jude supposed to? After the sound of a few low bangs, Clarence tugged on Jude's hand again, leading him through a door. It was much quieter inside the dark room than it was outside. Once everyone was in, Clare shut the door behind them and used the light on his phone to make the place visible.

It looked like a rundown motel room of some kind. There was one bed, two nightstands, a chair, and a small room off to the side that had a toilet, bathtub and sink. The power was off, of course, so the place was just as dark inside as it was out. But at least they were safe from the elements and crazy people outside. Jessie immediately shuffled over to the bed where she plopped herself down and let her head fall into her hands. Jude heard a tiny sob in her voice and it nearly broke his heart. Poor Jessie. She had been through so much in such a short amount of time; having to carry around the weight of their papas' grace and the responsibility that came with it. It was no wonder she felt like crying. But, ugh, Jude hated hearing Jessie cry! Both he and Ollie instantly walked over to comfort her; Ollie sitting on the bed next to her while Jude pat her shoulder from above.

“Uh, what are you doing? Get up. We have an archangel to find,” Clarence reminded.

The rest of their group glanced at Clarence in the dim light, all sharing the same look. How could Clare be so calm right now when the world was falling apart? Jude gulped, realizing that it was probably because Clare was used to it...

“I just need... five minutes,” Jessie slowly said, sniffling and wiping her cheeks, “Please?”

“Yeah, I'd like some time to process this, too... And, uh, maybe some chips or something?” Ollie timidly asked, “I'm sort of running on empty here.”

“Food?” Clare scoffed in disbelief, “Their parents are stuck in Purgatory, an archangel is missing, we're on the clock, the world is literally falling apart, and _you're_ worried about _food_?!”

Clarence's voice was so harsh and judgmental that it made Jude immediately stand up straight to give him a stern look. Clarence may have been able to go with the flow, blend into chaos, and ignore his own hunger, but Ollie couldn't. And it wasn't very fair of Clare to yell at Ollie for simply being human. Luckily, the look on Jude's face seemed to be enough to convince Clarence to change his tune. The demon guy took a breath and lightened his voice.

“Alright. Fine,” he sighed, “Barbie, Ginger-ale, you guys stay here. Jude and I will go and find some rations. We're downtown and the shops are close together, so it won't take us long. There's a store on every corner. C'mon, Jude.”

When Clarence held his hand out, Jude paused to look down at his friends. He could see hesitation on Jessie's face and he knew that she was thinking the same thing. Splitting up was a terrible idea... but they were still using the buddy system, right? Jude would be with Clare and Jessie would be with Ollie. Wanting to reassure his worried cousin, Jude pat her shoulder once more.

“If anything happens, we can pray to each other,” he reminded, “Clare and I will be right back.”

Though her eyes were large and cheeks glistened with tears, Jessie forced a nod. Ollie squeezed her shoulders protectively and winked at Jude, silently promising to take care of her in his absence. With his two childhood friends safe, Jude turned to walk over and take Clare's hand again. The blonde demon guy smiled a little in the semi-darkness. It seemed like he was kind of proud and pleased to see that Jude trusted him so much.

“Don't let go of me, Jay,” Clarence almost whispered.

After his fervent request, Clarence quickly opened the motel door and led the way back outside. Jude could feel the hard breeze brush over his whole body as he followed his boyfriend toward the street. It was clear that Clarence was telling the truth. He seemed to know exactly where he was going; guiding Jude around with total awareness, even though Chicago was pitch black. Somewhere nearby, a car alarm was going off, echoing in the darkness and making Jude nervous. He would feel a lot better if he could see where it was coming from, but he couldn't see anything! It was so dark outside; like space without a sun. And it was getting cold. It felt like the temperature was dropping by the second.

Over Clarence's shoulder, Jude could see a burning barrel on the street corner ahead. A bunch of people were standing around the bright source of light and talking, sharing stories and theories about what was happening with the weather. Jude almost mistook them for homeless people and was about to ask Clarence if they should go around the group – when Clarence stopped short. The demon guy had paused on the sidewalk and turned to face the building on his right. With the light of the fire nearby, Jude could see that there was a smile on his face.

“Jude,” Clarence breathed, “Look. This is the store that my guitar came from.”

Jude's eyes widened as he turned to look at the glass window next to them. He could faintly see other musical instruments inside the dark building; drum sets, pianos, banjos, guitars. A smile crept across Jude's own face as he stared at the building in wonder. This was the place that Clarence's guitar came from? The same building that he used to sleep in sometimes when he was a kid? No way! Clarence stepped up and put his hand on the glass, peering at the scene with childlike fondness. For a second, Jude forgot that they were standing in the midst of a darkened world with impending doom all around them. For a second, Jude was just sharing a personal moment with his boyfriend in the place he grew up in.

“Yeah. The store with the nice owner who let you sleep there sometimes,” Jude recited the story with a comforting grin.

Clarence chuckled a little and nodded, turning to give Jude a warm look. Clare's face looked so good in the firelight; so happy and full of life. Jude loved seeing joy beam from his handsome face like that...

“That's the one,” Clare agreed, “Man, I wish the power was on. I would take you inside and -”

In the middle of Clare's sentence, a man stumbled up and bumped into them. He was tall, dirty, and wreaked of alcohol, acting so drunk that he couldn't stand upright. Clarence immediately let go of Jude's hand long enough to grab the stranger by the front of his jacket and shove him toward the window.

“Hey! Watch what the hell you're doing, jackass!” Clarence growled.

The man who could barely stand held both hands up in surrender. He lazily blinked his bloodshot eyes toward the two teenage boys... and then his expression appeared to shift. He stared hard at Clarence for a second, as if he was looking at someone familiar. A tiny smile spread on his dirty mouth and revealed a toothy grin.

“Hey... It's _you_...” the man purred.

Jude looked to Clarence, hoping to find out if the two of them knew each other. And though it was very dark outside, Jude could see from the nearby firelight that color was slowly draining from Clarence's face. His hands slowly loosened at his sides, releasing his fists to leave limp fingers. But Clare's eyes revealed it all. There was disbelief and unyielding _terror_ in his stare; a type of 'deer in headlights' look that almost gave Jude a chill. Not only did Clarence know this stranger, but it seemed like he was downright horrified to see him...

“Look at you, baby boy,” the drunk man slurred, regaining enough balance to lean forward and probe Clare with his eyes, “All grown up... So pretty...”

Baby boy? Pretty? Why would he call Clare such crude names? The longer Jude stood there and watched their interaction, the more uncomfortable – and _angry_ – he became. That man had no right to look at Clarence like that; like he was some piece of meat. Jude was sure that Clarence would knock his lights out for talking to him that way – but Clare was frozen on the sidewalk. He was a pale white statue, motionless as the stranger licked his own lips and staggered closer.

“Where you been, huh?” the man asked, reaching out toward Clare with one dirty hand and groping himself with the other, “C'mon... Let's go 'round back and _play_...”

Just before the stranger's filthy fingers were able to touch Clarence's face, Jude felt his own grace kick in. His entire body lit up with electric blue and he reached out to grab the stranger's arm. With a strong, forceful shove – and a bit of his grace – Jude pushed the man so hard that he flew through the store window. The stranger didn't even have time to gasp or scream. He was simply a blur of grungy clothes that smashed into the window and landed among the silent instruments inside.

The sound of shattering glass seemed to snap Clarence out of his paralysis. The demon flinched and blinked repeatedly toward the broken store front in shock. And once Jude realized what he had done, he gasped in shock, too; quickly concealing his grace and covering his open mouth. Oh, man, he broke the store! Jude didn't mean to break into the music store like that! He only wanted to keep Clarence safe! The people surrounding the burning barrel started to walk toward them, wanting to catch a glimpse of the show. In the meantime, Clarence reached out to shove Jude toward the edge of the building.

“G – go,” he breathed, “We've gotta get out of here.”

Before he moved, Jude made sure to grab Clare's hand and hold it tight. The two teenage boys fled the scene, dashing around the building and heading down an empty alley way to get away from the crowd. Once they were in a safer place, Clarence slowed down to catch his breath in the dark. And Jude just couldn't hold in his curiosity anymore. He wanted to know who that man was and why he spoke to Clarence so vulgarly.

“Clare, who was that?” Jude asked, his voice echoing up the tall buildings.

“No one,” Clarence denied, keeping his eyes forward.

Jude was uncomfortable with that answer. Clarence obviously knew who that was. He just didn't want to tell Jude. But why? Jude and Clarence were best friends. They shared everything with each other. Why wouldn't he just tell him?

“He recognized you,” Jude reminded, trying to keep up with Clare's fast steps, “Why did he - ?”

“ _Please!_ ” Clarence suddenly spun around to shout.

Jude's feet halted abruptly and he scanned his boyfriend's face, seeing an unmeasurable amount of pain and fear. The sight of Clare's anguish really hurt Jude's heart. Whoever that man was, he clearly had a very powerful and disruptive affect on Clarence. Looking at Jude, however, seemed to help him reground himself. He coughed and reached out to gently cup Jude's cheek with a set of puppy eyes.

“Please,” Clare repeated, his voice much lower and calmer, “We've got important shit to do, Jay. Let's focus on that right now. Please...”

Despite his mind's adamant questioning of the identity of that drunk man and his association with Clarence, Jude forced a nod. He didn't want to put his boyfriend through anymore pain right now. Maybe after they found Michael and brought back Dad, Papa, and Jude's uncles, Clare would be more willing to open up about it. Clarence was extremely relieved by Jude's understanding. He exhaled in the dark and caressed the side of Jude's face before reaching down to reclaim his hand.

“Come on,” he whispered, “I know a shortcut to the convenience store.”

* * *

When Clarence and Jude walked out of the motel room and shut the door, they left the place in almost total darkness. The sudden difference made Jessie gasp and hold onto Ollie even tighter. God, she hated this so much! Why was everything falling apart? And why did it feel like the entire world was on her shoulders? She just wanted her Papa! She just wanted to go home!

“It'll be okay, Jess,” Ollie whispered, gently rubbing her shoulder as they hugged on the bed.

Jessica sniffled and held onto his strong arm in the dark, feeling herself tremble so much that it shook the mattress. She felt so bad about Ollie being caught up in this mess. It was bad enough that she and Jude had to search for an uncle that they had never even met before in a city that they were unfamiliar with – but Ollie? He was in harms way by association.

“I – I'm sorry, Ollie,” Jess said quietly, “I didn't mean for -”

In the middle of her sentence, Jessica felt something jump into her lap. She let out a shriek and backed up on the bed, afraid that some kind of wild animal was trying to attack her. What was that?! A possum?! A raccoon?! What was an animal like that doing in a motel room?!

“What? What happened?” Ollie asked, sounding worried.

It wasn't until she heard a tiny bark that Jess realized – it was Dickie! The thing in her lap was Papa's dog! Did he really follow her all the way to Chicago? Jess quickly used some of her grace to light up her own palm so that she could see her own lap, and found Dickie's adorably furry face smiling back at her.

“Dickie?” Ollie gasped with a smile, reaching over to pet his furry back, “Hey, boy! How'd you get here?”

Dickie barked a few more times, as if he was answering Ollie's question, but Jessie let her grace go out and quickly scooped the dog up into a hug; holding him as close to her heart as she could. She had never been so happy to see a dog in all her life!

“Dickie!” Jess cried, feeling happy tears fill her eyes.

Like always, Dickie was quick to kiss away Jessie's tears; licking her wet cheeks with a doggy whimper. Jess couldn't help but feel like Dickie was channeling Papa's personality. Maybe Dickie could sense that she was upset and in need of comfort... Once he got done with kisses, Dickie nudged around in Jess's lap for a moment before jumping into the floor to sniff around. The strange, abandoned room seemed to be new to him too. In the meantime, Ollie's arm returned to Jess's shoulder.

“I think your Papa's dog might be magic,” the red-haired boy pointed out.

Through her tears, Jessie let out a breathy giggle.

“Yeah, I think so,” she agreed, pausing to look back at him before saying, “Ollie, I'm sorry about freaking out and crying. This is just so crazy and we almost got hit by a truck and -”

“Hey, hey,” Ollie interrupted, waving a dismissing hand, “You don't have to apologize, Jess. I knew that you needed sometime to catch your breath. That's why I told Clare that I was hungry.”

Jessie felt her smile slowly slipping away as she blinked at Oliver in the dark. Wait, Oliver wasn't really hungry? Did he really ask Clarence to go get food just so that Jessica could have a few minutes to breathe?

“You... You did that for me?” she whispered.

Oliver gulped, making his Adam's apple bounce along his throat.

“Well, yeah,” he shrugged, “I thought it might give Clarence something to do and stall for some time so that you could -”

Jessie didn't need to hear the rest of Ollie's sentence. She felt like she already knew what he was going to say. Of course Oliver stalled the other boys for her. He would do anything for her; even face the Darkness and leave his mom unconscious at Bobby's! Oliver was so unbelievably _sweet_! Before he could finish talking, Jess leaned up on the bed to bring her mouth to his, clumsily finding his lips in the dark. She wished that she could tell him how grateful she was to have him in her life, but hopefully this kiss would do the trick.

At first, their kiss was like every other one they'd ever shared. It was gentle, loving, and full of comfort. Jess turned on the bed to face him, raising up to her knees so that she could reach his face better. She cupped both of his cheeks in her hands and could feel his hands on her shoulder and waist. The taste of Ollie's mouth was just like Jess remembered from earlier that day; like heaven was hidden between his lips.

After a few seconds, though, Jess felt her own hands slide down to crawl under the hem of Oliver's shirt. Her fingers slowly inched up his heated stomach and to his bare chest, where she could feel his heart beating. In so many of her future dreams, Ollie's heartbeat was the main focus. Many times, Jess dreamed of laying her head on his chest and listening to the sound, while they lay naked on their marriage bed. None of it had actually happened yet, of course; those were things that were still to come. But the comforting, relaxing feeling of it still lingered in her mind. Being intimate with Oliver was Jessica's greatest stress reliever.

A moment or two passed before Jessie felt Oliver's warm hands carefully slide up her bare back. He had copied her; sneaking his hands under the hem of her jacket and shirt to find her goosebump-covered flesh. Jess hummed a little bit into Ollie's mouth as her eyes flew open in the dark. Whoa. Ollie's hands were on her bare skin. They were actually touching each other like adults; like they always did in her future dreams. And Jessica really _liked_ it...

Hoping to entice Ollie to keep going, Jessica lifted his shirt farther up; exposing more of his torso so that she could rub it all with her hands. His skin was so warm and smelled so good. She couldn't wait to see the rest of him in person – but Ollie carefully tugged his mouth away from hers. He panted a little in the dark, but kept his hands glued to her back.

“J – Jess,” he whispered, his breath brushing over Jess's wet lips, “Do... do you want to...?”

Jessica knew that this was crazy. She knew that her parents were trapped in Purgatory, that Ms. Jane was going to wake up in a frenzy, that she needed to find Michael as soon as possible, that the Darkness was swallowing the Earth just outside the motel door... But in this very moment, while she sat in the love and safety of her future-husband's arms, Jessica felt more at peace than she had in her whole life. While she never had a dream that told her when or where she would have sex for the first time, Jess was certain that this was it. Her stomach was warm with heat and her heart was pounding with adrenaline. In the midst of total chaos, heartbreak, and Darkness, Jessica and Ollie were about to make _love_...

“Yes,” Jess breathed, all but throwing herself against Oliver, “I want to.”

Though he seemed kind of shocked by her answer, Ollie quickly nodded his head in the dark.

“O – okay,” he squeaked, “We should probably hurry, though.”

Jessie gulped. Oh, he was right. Jude and Clarence were going to be back any minute. They didn't have very long to get it done. The two teenagers blinked at each others' silhouettes for a second before jumping up to start taking off their clothes. Jess made sure to place her jacket, containing her Papa and uncle's grace, right next to the bed. The room was so dark that Jessie couldn't see Oliver's body at all. She only knew that he was getting naked because of the rustle of his clothing and the panting of his breath. While she undressed, Jessica realized something very important and paused.

“Wait. Ollie, do you have one of those... you know. C – condom things?” Jessie hissed nervously.

Saying it out loud actually made heat flare on her face. Man, talking to Oliver about condoms in the dark was so awkward.

“Yeah, of course,” Ollie replied, “I always carry one. Uh, just in case... I've never done it before or anything, I just.. I know that if something like this were to happen, then we would need some protection, because... my mom always said she would kill me if I became a dad before college, so I can't have kids... I mean, I _do_ want to have kids, one day, but Mom doesn't want to be a grandma right now - ”

Jessica giggled a little as she quickly stepped out of her own jeans. Was Oliver seriously talking about his _mom_? Jess knew that he was rambling because he was nervous, so once she was in her underwear, she dashed over to take hold of him again. She could feel most of his skin on hers and it almost took her breath away. Whoa, he was so warm. Would she ever get used to touching him this way?

“Do you know how to put it on?” she asked.

“Y – yep,” he answered, voice high.

“Okay,” Jess breathed, “Um, you do that, and I'll wait for you on the bed, okay?”

“Okay,” Ollie agreed.

Jessica didn't waste time slipping out of the rest of her clothing. She made sure to place her discarded bra and panties onto the small pile near the bed. For once, Jess was actually glad that it was so dark. Her bra and panties were two different colors and she certainly didn't want Oliver to see that it didn't match. The feeling of open air on her skin made Jessie shiver with nervousness. She quickly crawled onto the old motel bed and laid down on her back to stare up at the dark ceiling.

Though she was a virgin, Jess knew how sex worked. Papa explain to her a long time ago that boys put their 'sticks' into girls' 'pockets'. The mental illustration of his explanation helped put Jessie at ease. She could feel that she was already wet; muscles clinching and back yearning to arch upward just from being touched by Ollie earlier. She was actually excited to get going. It wasn't long before she felt Ollie's warm hand on her knee.

“Are you ready for me to... you know?” he asked from the edge of the bed.

“Y – yes, Ollie,” Jessie breathed, carefully spreading her legs further apart, “Put it in my pocket.”

Heat was quick to take her face over again. Man, she felt so _dirty_ saying stuff like that! She was sure that Ollie was just as excited to get started, but he sounded a little confused.

“You... you want me to put it in your _pocket_?” he repeated.

Jessie bit down a sudden moan. Just hearing Oliver talk about putting himself inside of her body made her ache with lust.

“Yes,” she whimpered, “Please?”

There were a few seconds of silence in which Ollie's hand remained still on Jess's knee. What was the matter? Did he not want to have sex the normal way or something?

“... in your pocket?” he said again, sounding a little confused.

“Yes!” Jessie snipped, “Hurry up, Ollie! We don't have much time!”

Jess was sure that reminding him that Jude and Clarence would be back at any second would help Ollie get on the ball. Luckily, his hand left her knee and she was sure that he was about to crawl between her legs. But she couldn't feel him. He left her laying on the bed by herself. What was he doing? Where did he go? There was a rustle of clothing and Jess feared that he was putting his clothes back on.

“Oliver?” Jessie whispered, “What are you doing?”

“I – I'm putting it in your pocket, like you said,” he answered.

Jessie narrowed her eyes at the dark ceiling. What? No he wasn't! He wasn't anywhere near her! With a bit of grace, Jessica lit up her hand with golden light so that she could see what was going on – and found Oliver standing by the bed, holding her jeans to his waist. Jess's red-haired boyfriend was having relations with her pants! _He was actually putting his penis into the pocket of her jeans!_

Jessica found the whole thing so hilarious that she fell back to the bed and laughed out loud, rolling around to catch her breath. But the sight of Jess's naked body in the light must have been pretty shocking to Ollie, because he paused to blink at her in surprise.

“Wh – what?” he asked, sounding utterly confused as his eyes drank in the sight of her nudity.

Jessie laughed a little longer, trying to get it all out so that she could talk. She eventually found her voice and was able to form words again.

“N – no, silly!” she giggled, “Not _that_ pocket! Put those down and get over here.”

Oliver didn't have to be told twice. He instantly dropped Jess's jeans – revealing his hard, condom-covered shaft – and started walking back to the bed. Jess's laughter immediately cut short when she looked down at Ollie's erection. She had never seen a real penis before. She only saw one or two in medical books, and those were only drawings. Man, penises were so much _bigger_ in person! Watching it wobble around with Ollie's movement was kind intimidating. Would it even be able to fit inside her narrow opening?

Being slow and careful, Oliver finally crawled up in the bed to position himself between Jess's legs. His huge brown eyes were the size of golf balls; bouncing all around her body as if he couldn't believe the sight. His whole face was almost as red as his hair in the light of Jess's grace, but he seemed ready. Jessie spread her legs a little further to give him the space he needed and reached up to grab him by the shoulders. She tugged his upper half down so that she could kiss his lips again and revive that erotic feeling from earlier. Ollie pecked her mouth a few times as he reached down to guide himself into the wet lips between her legs.

Jess gasped at the sensation of being penetrated for the first time. Thankfully, Ollie went slow at first; gently trying to work his way inside. But that didn't help the pain. Jessica was trying her best to relax her muscles, forcing herself to take deep breaths and not clench up. But it was so hard to do when Ollie's erection felt so big. The deeper he went, the more her breath was taken away. Oh, man, that really hurt!

“S – slower,” Jessie squeaked, clinging to his shoulders with shaking hands.

“Okay,” Ollie nodded, “S – sorry, Jessie. You just... You feel so good.”

Jessie smiled a bit, even though she was in pain. As he did in every situation, Ollie was trying his best to cater to Jessie's needs and make her feel good. He paused his hips and took the time to touch the rest of her body; rubbing his hands over her breasts and reaching down to feel along her inner thighs. Jessie kissed him and returned the favor, gently dragging her nails down his back and up into the tufts of his soft orange hair. He hummed a little bit and inched further into her canal, making her moan a little. Though he was starting to feel better inside her, it was still uncomfortable.

Soon, Oliver was thrusting his hips repeatedly. Jessie tried her best to enjoy the motions, but it was just too painful. She didn't say anything, though; partly because she kept waiting for it to get better. Sex was supposed to feel good, right? Wasn't it supposed to be mind-blowingly awesome? So far, it was just a matter of trying to make her body mold to Ollie's. Oliver, on the other hand, seemed to be having a great time. His hands got tangled in Jess's long blonde hair and he moaned really loud... which got Dickie howling.

Jess and Ollie both turned to look next to the bed, where Dickie's outline was visible on the floor. The dog had dug around inside their clothes and was now howling toward the ceiling, filling the room with wolf-like sounds.

“Dickie,” Ollie groaned, “Come on, man.”

Thankfully, Dickie stopped howling and lowered his head to sniff around their clothes again, which returned Ollie's attention to Jess. His hips picked up speed again, making Jessie wince a bit. She tried her best to hide it, but it was too late. From the light of her grace, Ollie saw the discomfort on Jessie's face and he immediately stopped.

“What is it? Am I doing it wrong again?” he panted.

“N – no, you're doing fine,” Jessie nodded, “It's just... I've never done this before so it... it kind of hurts.”

As soon as she said the word 'hurts,' pure agony overcame Ollie's expression. He backed up as if he was going to pull himself from her body, but Jess quickly reached up to pull him back.

“No, it's okay, I'll get used to it,” Jess assured.

“But I don't want to hurt you,” Ollie insisted, “I want to make you feel good.”

Jessie gulped as they stared at each other in the dim golden light. She could tell that Oliver really wanted to make her feel good in a sexual way. And there was only one way that Jessie knew would make that happen... With a quick breath, Jessie took Ollie's hand and lowered it between their bodies. She guided his fingers to the sensitive nub at the crest of her labia, which was already hot and wet. The feeling of Ollie's fingers on it made an electric jolt of pleasure shoot through her body.

“ _There_ ,” she gasped.

Thankfully, Ollie was a quick learner. Jessie didn't have to say anymore. Ollie gently rubbed the spot with his thumb, making Jessie arch her back and moan. Oh! Feeling Ollie touch her so inappropriately made her want to moan! It made her want to cry! It made her want to _finish_!

“ _Ah!_ ” Jessie whimpered, feeling herself clench around Ollie's hard organ, “Yes! _Ollie!_ ”

Oliver obviously didn't want to miss out on the fun because he started thrusting again. And though his size was still a little uncomfortable, his working thumb was able to make Jess feel better. Pleasure was radiating from between her legs, racing up her whole body and peppering her skin with more goosebumps. The two of them were practically bouncing on the bed, making the mattress squeak with their motions. Dickie was even starting to howl again, but they didn't really notice. They were too busy rocketing toward the finish.

“J – Jess,” Ollie panted, “I'm going to - !”

Jessie wanted to say 'me too,' but orgasm was eclipsing her body before she could even speak. A loud, rich moan echoed from her mouth as she arched her back, cutting off Ollie in mid sentence. The tight walls of her canal quaked around Ollie; squeezing him from all sides and coating him with another dose of wetness. Oh, God! That felt so _good_! Ollie's hand eventually fell away from her lower half and he came crashing down on top of her, softly burying his face into her mess of blonde hair on the bed.

Jessie, who was still trembling, tried to get her mind to function as she reached up to hold Ollie against her. Wow. She always knew that they would have amazing sex together some day and that it would feel awesome, but she never expected it to be so soon. And feel so _very_ good...

“I... love you, Jess.”

Though her mind was still kind of blank, Jess was able to register the emotional tone of Ollie's voice. Jess turned her head to look at him and could see vulnerability in his features. For a second, Ollie looked like a kid again; the same freckle-faced little boy she fell in love with on the playground so many years ago. His big brown eyes searched her face while his fingers tangled in her hair, and Jessie felt like she could almost cry. Aww. She loved him so much more than she could ever say...

Before Jessie could open her mouth to reply, the sound of howling wind – and faint voices – echoed from the other side of the motel door. Jess and Ollie both gasped and looked toward the other side of the room before scrambling off the bed. They both dove for the clothes on the floor; shooing Dickie away and yanking their garments as soon as possible. The terrifying thought of Jude and Clarence seeing them naked was enough to snap them into action.

Luckily, by the time the door opened, Jessie and Ollie just finished slipping their jackets back on. Their hair was still a mess and their lips were darkened from kissing, but at least they were dressed. Jessie tried her best to act casual when Clarence and Jude wandered back into the room. She was so glad that they were okay. But nobody said a word as they entered and Jess could immediately tell that something was wrong. Why did Clarence have that look on his face? Why did Jude look so sad? Did something happen?

“H – hey, guys,” Ollie offered, finally breaking the silence and raking a hand through his wild orange hair, “I'm glad you made it back.”

Clarence didn't reply at first. He only held out a shopping bag to Ollie, who took it timidly.

“This was all I could get before the cashier ran us off,” he mumbled.

Jessie tried her best to tame her hair as she glanced between the two other boys in the room. Whatever happened while they were out must have been pretty bad. Jude's blue eyes were practically glued to Clare's face; staring at him with worry and confusion. Clare, on the other hand, was almost avoiding everyone else; trying not to make eye contact and standing off by himself. The blonde demon boy coughed a little before finally bringing his sight to Jessie.

“Barbie? Are you good, now? Can we go and get this Michael guy or what?” he asked flatly.

Jessie gulped and nodded, still feeling a few tingles echoing up her body. Yes. That fifteen minutes of heaven she just shared with Ollie was more than enough to calm her down and get her head back in the game.

“I'm ready,” she agreed.

As Clare opened his mouth to mention something, a burst of laughter came from Ollie's side of the room. Everyone looked toward Jess's orange-haired boyfriend, wondering what it was that caused him to laugh so hard. Ollie eventually turned to smile at Jess with a red face and held up one of the items that Clarence brought him.

It was a box of Hot Pockets.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it was, that our baby bunny Jess and our lil gingersnap Ollie lost their virginity to each other. XD (Sam Winchester, if you made it this far without freaking out, I give you full permission to kill me as many times as you'd like.) XD So, yes, as awkward and ill-timed as it may have been, Jessie and Ollie did the thing. And I really hope that my rendition of 'straight' smut is at least tolerable compared to the gay stuff. Lol. (Btw, happy belated International Women's Day!) ;D Now, I never been to Chicago, but the reason Clarence talks trash about South Side is because I got it from the show 'Shameless.' (Yes, I watch it. Mickey is my favorite character. Lol) And, once again, I have to give props to my good friend, _gothichic_ , for giving me some of the ideas for parts of this chapter. That creepy guy that Jude and Clarence ran into – which we will, obviously, learn more about later – is actually modeled after William Dafoe (because he just looks so creepy. lol) And Ollie's mishap with Jessie's jeans was also her idea! I just couldn't pass it up. Lol. XD Thank you so much for those additions, girl! I hope you liked the Hot Pocket reference at the end! ;D With all that said, I really hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! We will get back with the dads in Purgatory next week. Thank you so much for reading and commenting! The next chapter – in which we finally met Michael – will be out soon! :)


	6. Chapter 6

The last time Castiel found himself trapped in the savage wilds of Purgatory, his first course of action was to get as far away from Dean as possible. Not because he wanted to, of course. If given the chance, Castiel would have never left Dean's side. The angel left the man behind because he knew that his grace would be a beacon to all dark creatures; that his heavenly light would attract murderous, revenge-fueled Leviathan from all across the realm, and he did not want his most beloved human to fall victim to them simply because of his close proximity to Castiel. Being an angel in a land of abomination was one of the hardest challenges that Cas ever faced.

But this time, Castiel was not an angel. With his grace left behind on Earth, Cas was merely a human. And it seemed to have its fair share of advantages _and_ disadvantages. This time, Castiel wouldn't have to leave Dean's side. He wouldn't be forced to abandon his now-husband or their brothers, because he was no longer a beacon. Without his grace, Cas was able to blend in more easily with his surroundings and not draw attention to himself or others. And the prospect of staying with his family the entire time relieved him greatly... However, being human in Purgatory wasn't an ideal choice either. Basic human necessities, such as eating and sleeping, still had to be taken into account and dealt with during their stay in this barren wasteland. Dean and Sam seemed to adapt flawlessly to the change, while Gabriel was struggling just to function. And Castiel was caught somewhere in between.

Night fell over Purgatory quicker than Castiel remembered, but by the time the sky was pitch black, the Winchesters had luckily found a place to hide until dawn. Sam was able to locate a dead, hollowed out log about a mile away from where they entered. The horizontal opening was tall and fairly lengthy, large enough to house all four men in a sitting position. When they found the log, it was filled with a few dead carcases and bones from former tenets. And even after clearing the space of rotted debris, the overwhelming stench of death lingered within. The potent scent was so powerful, it actually caused Gabriel to vomit. The graceless archangel quietly heaved just behind a few gray bushes before allowing Sam to help him back into the log. Burying his face into Sam's shirt seemed to alleviate his sickness. In the meantime, Dean silently crawled into the log and beckoned Castiel with one hand, patting the space beside him.

As Castiel lowered himself to the ground and inched into the safety of the dead tree, a powerful yawn escaped his lips. Exhaustion was slowly taking over, bringing his full attention to the state of his physical form. The urge to sleep reminded him of days so long ago; when he was almost human, carrying his unborn child within his grace. Sleeping was so easy to do back then. But now... Now, Castiel wasn't so sure if he would be able to sleep at all. He blinked wearily at Dean's face in the dark as he crawled up to sit beside him. Cas's head automatically fell against the man's shoulder, to which Dean's hand slid over to rest on Castiel's knee. The affectionate touch was enough to comfort Cas – but also remind him of their current situation. They were thankfully together, but so far apart from their child...

“Jude is fine, Cas.”

The angel raised his weary head to stare at his husband. It was amazing how well the two of them knew each other. Castiel didn't have to say a word for Dean to know exactly what he was thinking. Dean's hand tightened on Cas's knee and his eyes were large with honesty.

“If there's one thing that being a parent has taught me, it's to never underestimate our kid,” Dean continued in a faint whisper, “It seems like Jude overcomes a different fear everyday. That boy is as tough as nails. And this,” he paused to gesture to the whole of darkened Purgatory beyond their hiding place, “this is nothing, babe. We're gonna make it back to him. I promise.”

Castiel gulped in the dark, feeling warm moisture pool in his eyes. Dean was such a loving partner; so comforting and trusting. His faith in their son was unwaveringly permanent, as was his love for their family. Feeling an abundance of gratefulness, Castiel leaned forward to find Dean's lips in the dark. He put as much emotion into the kiss as he could, wanting to physically state how much he loved Dean. But just to make sure it was known, Castiel decided to say it as well.

“I love you, Dean,” the angel whispered.

“I love you too,” the man repeated, caressing Castiel's face, “I'll keep a look out so you can get some sleep, okay? You've gotta be ready to travel when the night's over.”

Cas nodded in reply before lowering his head back to Dean's warm, soft shoulder. It sounded as though Dean already had a plan to get them home and Castiel wasn't about to argue. Especially since he was weary enough for sleep anyway. For a moment or so, Castiel blinked toward the darkened forest of Purgatory, seeing the foliage shift and rattle as the things-of-the-night scuffled and fought over prey. A few distant howls and low groans peppered the area, but Cas did his best to ignore it. Dean was right; he needed sleep if his human body was going to travel a great distance. In an effort to focus his attention, Castiel concentrated on the sound of Dean's calm breath flowing in and out of his lungs nearby. The familiar sound eventually relaxed Castiel's senses enough for sleep to invade his body...

… _Soon, the angel found himself sitting on the floor of a cabin._

_Castiel recognized it as the same cabin that he gave birth in so many years ago; the one that was covered in Enochian symbols on the outside. Cas could almost feel the pain in his abdomen again; the same stinging, throbbing pain of slicing himself open. It wasn't until he heard a tiny whimper that Cas realized he was holding his newborn son._

_A tidal wave of emotion crashed over Castiel's heart as he bowed his head to observe his newborn offspring. It was Jude! It was Cas and Dean's baby boy! He was just as beautiful and pure as Castiel remembered. The tiny infant was still covered in bodily fluids and swaddled inside of Castiel's trench coat, calmly breathing and blinking up at his angelic father with the most beautiful blue eyes that Castiel had ever seen. Cas could feel a smile on his own face as he cradled Jude closer to his chest._

“ _Hello, son,” Castiel breathed, feeling as light as a feather._

_In response, baby Jude wiggled around inside of the coat, reaching a tiny hand out to grasp towards Castiel. The angel immediately gave his index finger to his child, letting Jude hold onto it for comfort. As he sat on the cabin floor holding his newborn baby, Castiel felt at peace. Holding Jude in his arms, and knowing that the boy was safe and happy, was part of Cas's purpose. And he knew that Dean would be there soon to make their family complete._

_But as Castiel and newborn Jude sat in their warm and comforting embrace, a dark figure appeared in the doorway._

_Castiel sensed the change and looked up to see the figure moving closer. It was coming toward them at such an alarmingly fast pace, Cas didn't have time to brace himself. Metatron had come for Dean and Castiel's offspring and the wounded angel was no match for him. The Scribe of God simply strolled up to Castiel and bent down to yank Jude from his arms; leaving Castiel to grasp toward the empty air with a sharp inhale._

“ _No!” Castiel gasped, “Jude!”_

_The sound of Jude's infant cry echoed through the cabin as Metatron backed away with him in his arms. Castiel groaned out and attempted to stand; to chase after the monster who took his child. But the angel stumbled over like a severely wounded animal. His stomach was still butchered open and pulsing blood, painting the floor red. But Castiel didn't care about his own well-being! He only wanted Jude to be safe! He needed his son back in his arms!_

“ _Give him to me!” Castiel commanded._

_Metatron only chuckled and curled Jude against him, grinning as he took slow and deliberate steps backward. Jude's tiny voice rang out, begging Castiel to save him from the clutches of evil. And Castiel tried his best to crawl across the floor to get to him; using and angel blade to stab the floor and pull himself through the giant puddle of blood. Cas kept his eyes on the Scribe, watching him slowly disappear into the darkened doorway. No! Metatron was moving too fast! Cas could never catch him in time! The bastard had Jude! He was stealing Jude away! He was taking him!_

“ _No! Please!” the angel finally begged, shivering in pain as he forced himself to crawl across the floor, “Bring him back! Jude!”_

“Cas!” 

Castiel sucked in a large breath of air and blinked his eyes open. He could feel his shoulders being shaken violently, but it wasn't until he smelled the scent of decay that he was able to ground himself and raise his head. Everything was dark and gray, but the angel was able to make out a few shapes in the dark. Sam and Gabriel were kneeling next to him on the ground, and Dean was the one holding his shoulders. They were all huddling together around Castiel inside of a hollowed out log.

“Cas,” Dean repeated in an urgent whisper, finally gaining the angel's attention, “Shh, baby, you've gotta stop screaming.”

Screaming? Castiel was screaming? It wasn't until he looked at Dean and deeply studied his features – his plump lips and freckles; the same freckles that were genetically handed down to their child – that he felt tears rise up in his eyes. Oh. It was a nightmare. The vision he had of Metatron taking Jude away was only a memory that had morphed into a terrifying mental vision – but that didn't make it any easier to forget. The angel threw himself at his husband; tossing both arms around Dean's broad shoulders to weep into his chest. He never knew how horrible a nightmare could be until he was forced to endure one of his own. As Castiel quivered in his arms, Dean gently pat the angel's back and whispered.

“It's alright, Cas,” Dean consoled quietly, “I've got you. It's okay.”

“It – It's not okay, Dean!” Castiel argued with a whimper, shaking his head, “My – my son! _My baby!_ ”

“Shh!” Gabriel hissed anxiously in the dark, “Cassie, stop shouting! You'll attract the monsters!”

Castiel gulped down the rest of his frantic sentence and blinked toward the charcoal bark of the log. He could still hear the distant howls of predators and faint screams of prey from just beyond their makeshift campsite. Dean and Gabriel were right. Castiel needed to keep his voice down if they were going to make it through the night without being seen. As the angel attempted to calm himself by taking deep breaths, he felt Dean's hand cup his face in the dark. The steadiness and strength of his husband's fingers amazed and confounded Castiel beyond words. How could Dean be so tranquil in such a vicious environment, knowing that their precious child was in danger?

“I promise it's going to be okay, Cas,” Dean said lowly as he caressed Castiel's cheek, “Jude is fine. He's with Bobby and everyone else and he's completely -”

“How do you know that?” Castiel interrupted, feeling tears oozing down his cheeks, “You have no proof of that, Dean.”

Dean paused to take a deep breath, filling the hollow log with the sound of his sigh.

“You know, I met an angel once who told me that my biggest problem was that I had no faith,” he mentioned, warming Castiel's heart by recalling the first time they met, “You were right, Cas. I didn't have a single ounce of faith in me at the time. I didn't believe in anything; not love, or God, or even in myself... But you changed that. _You_ , babe. And our son might look like me, but he's got a hell-of-a-lot more of you in him. I have faith that you can do anything, Cas, which means I have just as much faith in our kid. Am I worried about him? Of course I am. But I know he's gonna be alright. Because he came from _you_.”

Warm liquid continued to run down Castiel's cheeks in streams, but it was no longer out of terror. It was out of stunned awe. Dean's words were able to cultivate a new perspective in Cas's outlook, as well as make him blush in surprise. The angel never imagined that his husband thought so highly of him; that Dean identified Castiel as the very source of his faith.

Not knowing how to properly respond with words, Castiel simply leaned forward to get lost in Dean's loving arms again, burying himself among Dean's precious scent and warmth. Of course, the man welcomed him by wrapping both arms snugly around Castiel's back and curling him close. For a moment, Castiel was nearly at peace. Dean's words had melted into his mind and comforted his worried heart. Of course their son would be safe. Jude was their offspring; a mixture of them both.

Jude was made from love, and love would protect him.

* * *

Even though Clarence still held most of his attention, Jude could tell that Jessie and Ollie were acting a little weird. For one thing, their hair was messy and they were breathing really hard, like they had just got done running a race with each other. Plus, Jude had no idea why Jessie and Ollie laughed so hard at the box of Hot Pockets that Clare brought them. Maybe it was an inside joke or something. Whatever the reason, Jude was glad that Jessie was laughing instead of crying. Clarence, on the other hand, was much less happy about it.

“What the hell is so funny?” he snapped, “Do you guys _like_ being here or something? The whole freaking world is kind of hanging in the balance, in case you forgot...”

Clarence's harsh words seemed to cut Ollie and Jess's laughter short. They both gulped down their smiles and glanced at each other before looking to Clarence in shame.

“S – sorry,” Ollie offered, as he stashed the food back in the plastic bag.

Jude hated seeing his friends upset, but Clare was right. They weren't here to play around, they were here to find Michael and recruit him to help get their parents back. Somberness settled in the room for a moment before Clarence spoke again.

“I don't know about you, but I'm ready to find this bastard and go home,” Clarence said, his tone a bit lighter than before, “Barbie, you said you could pick him up on a radar or whatever. Let's hurry up and do it.”

“Actually,” Jessie mumbled, curling some of her messy hair behind her ear, “I, um, was thinking that I could try something else.”

Jude tilted his head a bit toward his cousin. Something else? He didn't know that Jessie had another plan. Why didn't she share it earlier? Maybe she had been too upset to think clearly.

“Papa taught me a trick once,” she explained, keeping her eyes on Clarence, “He said that angel grace is easy to find if you have some of your own. They can link up with each other, if you send grace out; kinda like an electric boomerang.”

All the boys in the room glanced at each other in surprise. electric boomerang? That sounded so cool...

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Clarence asked.

The half demon walked over and opened the door, letting the harsh wind and darkened atmosphere flood the room.

“Do it,” he encouraged.

The thought of going back out into that black fog put Jude on edge, so he quickly stepped over to reclaim Clarence's free hand. Luckily, Clare still seemed willing to let Jude touch him because his fingers instantly tightened back. In the meantime, Jessie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, raising her arms to position her flat palms out in front of her. Her fingers glowed gold for a second, briefly filling the room with light, before going out. When she opened her eyes again, she smiled a little.

“That way,” she said, pointing toward the right, “I think he's in a building. It's really high off the ground.”

“Lead the way,” Clarence prompted.

Jessie took a second to glance back at Ollie, who carefully grabbed her hand and gave her an assuring nod, but eventually did as Clare asked. She kept her free hand held out in front of her as she pressed forward and out of the motel door. Clarence held onto Ollie's shoulder as he passed and pulled Jude along, creating yet another conga line of safety. Jude briefly glanced down to see that Dickie was there too. How in the world did uncle Gabe's dog get all the way to Chicago?! Maybe he flew with them and Jude just couldn't see him in the dark.

With Jessie in the front, all Jude could do was brace against the wind and keep up with Clarence's stern tugs. The path led them down the street and around a few corners; weaving through the forest of tall buildings. A few miles overhead, the swirling black mass of clouds seemed to be growing, spreading out to cover the entire sky. There wasn't a trace of sunlight. Darkness was taking over more and more by the minute and it made Jude ache inside. Would they ever see the sun again? What if they couldn't stop it? What if Dad and Papa stayed trapped in Purgatory forever?

“Keep up, Jaybird.”

Jude gulped at the sound of Clarence's voice in the midst of his disturbing thoughts, tightening their fingers together. It was amazing how just the sound of Clare's voice was enough to calm Jude down...

Jessie eventually slowed to a stop by a particular building, where lots of people were rushing in and out of the entrance. Jude was only able to catch a few blurs as they sped by, wheeling gurneys and other medical equipment toward ambulances. It wasn't until Jude saw the flickering neon sign above the entrance that he realized he was staring at a hospital.

“He's in the hospital?” Ollie asked loudly over the sound of the wind.

“I think so,” Jessie replied, “My grace is bouncing back from the middle. Up there.”

Jude tried to follow Jessie's pointing finger, but he couldn't see very far through the dark haze. The only thing in his sight were a few lit windows, so the building must have had some power. Besides that, the wind was picking up again, making it hard for him to keep his eyes open because of the dusty debris. Jude barely caught that Clare gave Jess a tiny nudge toward the entrance, after which they all started into the hospital.

The four teenagers huddled together and paused just inside the emergency room to catch their breath and look around. The place was absolutely packed with people, some severely injured and in need of medical attention. Doctors and nurses were rushing around like crazy to deal with all the people filing into the building, but it was overwhelmingly chaotic. Babies and small children were crying, adults were shouting, alarms were sounding, equipment was rattling, and to top it all off, the lights were flickering a bit. The power was threatening to go out and it seemed to make everything even more hectic. This wasn't a hospital, it was a madhouse! Jude panted as he burrowed himself into Clarence's side. He could feel anxiety and hints of claustrophobia trying to tighten his chest.

“The stairwell,” Clarence shouted over the noise, pointing toward the door across the room.

Once again, Jessica led the way through the crowd to get to the stairs. Jude tried his best not to look too hard at the people around him – the man with the bleeding leg, the woman with severe burns, the child who was crying for his parents – but he had trouble keeping his eyes to himself. He was sure that the Darkness had something to do with all of these hurt people; that it had caused each and every injury in some way. And he deeply wished that he could help. He wanted to stop and heal every single person in the room, but more people were rushing in by the second. The pain wouldn't stop. The only way to completely end the suffering was to get to Michael and beg for his help getting rid of the Darkness.

The teenagers only passed a few people in the stairwell. Jessie directed all three boys up several floors, always with her glowing hand out. Jude's lungs were starting to ache from the climb and even he was starting to wonder why Jessie just didn't fly them up there. But thankfully, before Jude could complain, they seemed to get to the floor Michael was on. Jessie paused and pulled the door open to her right, tugging the rest of them in behind her.

The electricity on this level appeared intact. There were still plenty of people rushing around in a panic, but the atmosphere felt a tiny bit more stable. Jessie walked as quickly as she could by a few nurses stations, blazing a trail through the frantic people. Jude was relieved when she finally came to a dead stop at room 520. The door was shut but Jess's eyes stared widely at it. She turned to glance among the boys with a gulp.

“He's in there,” she confirmed.

Without missing a beat, Clarence maneuvered his way through their small group and wrenched the door open, revealing the scene inside. Jude stepped a little closer to his boyfriend's back so that he could see it properly. There was not one, but _two_ people in the room. A younger man, who appeared to be close to Clare's age, was laying on the hospital bed. There was oxygen under his nose, An IV in his arm, a tube coming out of his mouth, and various other medical wires attached to his body. Jude was no expert, but it almost seemed like those machines were keeping the guy alive.

The other person was an older man, seated at the younger man's bedside. His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing a denim jacket; something that seemed vintage to Jude. The chair he was sitting in was angled toward the headboard, in a position that allowed him to see the younger man's face. Though his eyes were open, the older man was motionless. Even when the teenagers entered the room, he didn't move a muscle. He kept his eyes on the younger man and his hands carefully folded in his lap. Jude eyed him the most. Was this... Michael? The same Michael that tried to use Jude's Dad as a vessel? And who was that other guy? Why were they here?

At first, all four teenagers just walked in and stood there for a second. Clarence gave Jess a raised eyebrow, as if he was asking, ' _are you sure this is him?_ ' Jessie nodded, confirming that her 'electric boomerang' was right. After the reassurance, Clare cleared his throat and glanced back to the older man.

“Are you Michael?” he asked, his tone a little less friendly than Jude was hoping for.

The older man didn't move his head at all. He only blinked once, keeping his attention on the person in the hospital bed. His blatant ignorance of them made Jude uncomfortable. What if this wasn't Michael? What if this person was a complete stranger? Clarence, however, seemed to think otherwise.

“Because if you are, we've gotta talk,” the demon added.

The older man shifted in his seat, but didn't look toward them.

“I have nothing to say,” he muttered in a deep voice.

Jude exhaled the breath he had been holding and swallowed hard afterward. So, he _was_ Michael! He was Papa and uncle Gabe's older brother! Jude and Jessie's uncle! The thought was both exciting and a bit distressing. Michael didn't seem very happy to see them.

“Then you can just listen,” Jessie stepped up to compromise, “I'm Jessica and that's Jude. Gabriel and Sam are my parents, and Castiel and Dean are his -”

“I know who you are,” Michael interrupted flatly.

Jessie gulped down the rest of her sentence as if she was intimidated, but Jude partially glared at Michael. What was his problem? Why was he so rude? Jude was briefly reminded of his other angelic family members, Naomi and Raphael, and instantly picked up on a pattern. Man, angels were such jerks...

“Then you know why we're here,” Clarence assumed with a shrug, “Let's go, fancy-pants. Get your ass up out of that chair and help us get rid of this Darkness shit.”

Jude cringed at his boyfriend's side. That wasn't a very nice way to ask a stranger for help. Luckily, Michael seemed indifferent to Clarence's big fat mouth. He only took a deep, gusting sigh.

“No,” he replied calmly.

All four teenagers' mouths fell open in shock. No? They had come all this way to find Michael and get his help and now he was saying _no_? But, didn't he care about what was happening to the world?! Didn't he care that people were dying?! That the Earth wouldn't last long without the sun?! Jessie seemed deeply upset by his answer, because she stepped close to the hospital bed too stare at him with puppy dog eyes.

“ _Why?_ ” she breathed.

Michael took another deep breath and paused, seeming like he didn't want to answer her question, but he eventually started to speak again.

“It's a fool's errand,” he said, “It took the grace of four archangels to imprison Darkness before the Creation, and it would take that same amount of strength to do it again. Seeing as Raphael is dead, there is no reason to hope. The Darkness will destroy this Earth and restore the universe to the way it was before the Creation. Everything will be turned back into nothingness and we will all be dead.”

It felt like Jude's heart dropped twelve stories. Whoa. That was a really dark and cruel outlook on the situation. Jude glanced at his cousin and shared a look of sadness with her. If it really did take the grace of four archangels to imprison the Darkness, they were royally screwed...

“Well... That's cheerful,” Ollie mumbled under his breath.

“Yeah. It sounds like bullshit to me,” Clarence added.

Michael actually turned his head to stare daggers into Clarence. He seemed really offended by the fact that Clare didn't believe him. The archangel blinked a few times before addressing Clare's comment.

“Bullshit?” Michael repeated.

“Uh, yeah. That's what I said, numb-nuts,” Clare spat, crossing his arms, “You're refusing to help us at all. You've given up already. You're hurt and jaded. That doesn't mean there's no other way, it means you don't see a reason to fight because you've probably lost the only thing worth fighting for. By the way, who is this?”

The blonde demon gestured toward the unconscious young man on the bed, who was connected to a bunch of machines. Michael's large eyes swiveled back and forth between Clarence and the sleeping patient for a moment and it seemed like he was reluctant to answer. But Clarence's clever intuition paid off. Michael sank back in his chair a bit.

“This is Adam,” he admitted quietly.

Again, Jude felt his own mouth dip further open. Adam? Uncle Gabe said that Michael used Adam as a vessel for his big fight against Lucifer; the one that Dad and Sam stopped. Why and how were they separated right now? And what where they doing here in Chicago, instead of being in the same place as Lucifer? Jessie must have been wondering the same thing because she inched closer to the headboard to look down at Adam's face with pity.

“What happened?” she asked with a glance at Michael.

“Roughly eleven years ago, I was able to escape the cage with him,” Michael explained, his voice low and eyes a bit vacant, “The two of us left Lucifer behind and resurfaced on Earth, but we were in separate bodies when we appeared. I became this,” he paused to gesture to his own chest, “and he became... that.”

Everyone glanced toward Adam's broken, barely breathing body on the bed with equal remorse. Yikes. The aftermath of being inhabited by an archangel seemed like a terrible fate...

“It's my fault and I cannot fix it,” Michael went on, his voice sinking lower, “I've tried everything I could think of to restore his heart, mind, and soul. But my grace has become toxic to him. Angels won't come near him. Human medicine does nothing... You're right, demon. I have lost the only thing worth fighting for. So I can't help you. Leave us alone and let us parish in peace.”

Jude's heart throbbed painfully in his chest. Oh man, it sounded like Michael really cared about Adam. The guy had never left Adam's bedside, even after so many years. Did Michael think of him as a really good friend... or something more? If that was Clarence on the bed, Jude would never leave his side either. Maybe that meant...

“You love him,” Jude blurted, feeling his own cheeks flush.

Michael tore his eyes away from the floor and met Jude's stare long enough to give him a slow nod. Aw, it was true. Michael loved Adam. And now that Adam was barely alive, Michael didn't see a reason to help anyone. After learning about Michael's affections, Clarence huffed an annoyed breath.

“Seriously? _You're_ in love with a dude, too? Does _everyone_ in this family love dick?!” he grumbled.

“I... I don't,” Ollie mumbled from the back.

While the guys were talking at the foot of the bed, Jessie was still standing near the headboard. She reached out to gently comb some of Adam's hair to one side in a motherly way, like she felt so bad for him. She eventually raised her head and gave Michael a hopeful look.

“I can probably help him,” she mentioned, “I mean, my Papa taught me a few tricks. Let me try. Please?”

Though it seemed like Michael already knew that Jessie couldn't help, he shrugged anyway. Maybe he thought that an attempt at help was better than nothing at all. Jude and the other boys watched patiently as Jessie slid her small hand over Adam's forehead. She closed her eyes and bowed her own head as if she was trying to concentrate, and her hand began to glow. At first, Jude thought Michael was right. If an archangel couldn't heal Adam, how could Jessie or Jude?

But then, Adam's eyelids twitched. And his fingers started to move.

Michael leaped from his chair and flashed over to the other side of the bed in the blink of an eye. His entire expression had changed from hard and cold to warm and soft as he waited for Adam to wake up. Jessie kept her glowing hand on Adam's head and continued to heal him – until Clarence walked over and stopped her. He gently pulled on her arm, breaking her concentration and making Adam go limp on the bed again. Michael, along with everyone else, was confused about why Clarence would stop her from healing Adam. But Jude knew by the tiny smirk on his boyfriend's face that Clare was up to something. He had come up with a plan.

“Jessica healed him a little,” Clarence pointed out, “Tell you what, big guy. If you help us lock up this Darkness shit, we'll finish the job.”

Absolute rage blazed across Michael's face. The archangel squared his shoulders and breathed in disbelief, glaring at Clarence as if he was the embodiment of evil.

“Are you using _Adam's life_ to _bribe_ me?!” he growled, causing the lights overhead to flicker.

“I wouldn't say bribe. 'Saving it as your reward' is more like it,” Clarence revised, still wearing that tiny smirk as he looked to Jessie, “What do you say, Jess? Wanna hold off on the healing until we get some work done?”

Michael's head whipped around to stare at Jessica who, surprisingly, seemed to be taking Clare's suggestion into serious consideration. She glanced down at Adam's motionless body for a moment before raising her head to meet Michael's stare.

“We can move him to my uncle Bobby's house. He'll be safe there with the rest of our family,” she began, “but... but I think Clare's right. If I woke Adam up now, it would be pointless, because he'll wake up in the midst of chaos. We need your help to stop it, and if healing Adam later is what it takes to make sure it gets done, then -”

“ _How dare you_ ,” Michael hissed, sounding utterly appalled.

Jude and Ollie glanced at each other and Jude could tell that his friend was just as uncomfortable with this plan. Trying to 'reward' Michael with Adam's life seemed like a really terrible thing to do. But Jess and Clare did have a point. Adam was safer being asleep right now. Still, Michael was rightfully outraged. And Clarence was rather proud of himself.

“Oh, lighten up, Mike. He'll be fine,” Clare promised, waving a hand toward Adam, “We'll just move him to my house and -”

A blurry streak flew across the room and Michael was suddenly pinning Clarence to the wall. The archangel had the half-demon held down by the neck, choking him. A single glance at the scene was enough to make raw fury blast through Jude's chest.

“You will wake him up _now_ ,” Michael threatened, “Or I will -”

The rest of Michael's sentence got lost in his throat, because Jude had flown across the room to grab him by the wrist. Jude's grace had come to Clarence's defense again, lighting up his entire body and making his eyes shine. The lights flickered violently in the presence of his angelic aura and the furniture rattled. It took almost no effort at all for Jude to lift the archangel's hand from Clarence's neck. Jude could almost feel Michael's grace burning under his own, just like Raphael's did when he was younger. The anger on Michael's face instantly shifted into genuine shock and horror, like he couldn't believe that Jude's hand was actually burning his wrist. But Jude didn't care whether he hurt Michael or not. No one was allowed to lay a hand on Clarence. _No one_.

“ _Don't ever touch him again_ ,” Jude warned, his voice full of celestial authority.

Jude let his grace burn Michael's for a few more seconds before forcefully tossing the guy's hand away. Once he was sure the warning was clear and that Clarence was safe, Jude slowly sheathed his grace; making it disappear inside his body. The lights overhead slowly stopped flickering and medical equipment was silent. Ollie and Jessica were cowering together near Adam's unconscious body, as if they were actually afraid of Jude's power. Clarence, however, looked really proud.

When Michael was able to reclaim his own hand, he immediately started rubbing his wrist as if it was in pain. His eyes were large and surprised again, staring at Jude for a moment before moving back to Adam on the bed. Silence filled the room for what felt like a long time. All of the teenagers were looking at Michael and waiting on him to make a decision. The pondering expression on his face made Jude think that he was debating his options in his mind. For some reason, Michael actually appeared relieved. Being the target of Jude's powerful grace must have made him realize something, because he started to nod slowly.

“Alright,” the archangel eventually agreed, “Imprisoning the Darkness. It's... It's not going to be easy... but this feat may be possible. And I'll try to help you, as long as Adam is kept safe.”

“He will be,” Jessie promised, “I'll make sure he's okay.”

“Good,” Michael nodded, turning to look at Jude and Clarence again, “In that case, we need to move him and prepare for the journey.”

“Journey?” Clare repeated, his eyes narrowed, “What journey?”

“The journey to Hell,” Michael answered, wearing a look of defeat mixed with annoyance, “I loath saying this... but we will need Lucifer.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, peeps. Uncle Luci is gonna come out! (So to speak.) ;D I know that a lot happened in this chapter and that you probably have more questions than answers, but I promise that more background on Michael, Adam, and the Darkness will be revealed as the story goes on. Btw, if you've read my earlier work, “Creation” - which, if you have, I already love you even more than I did before – you probably see a lot of similarities between that fic and this one. The denim jacket, the hospital, the love – I'm drawing all that from 'Creation,' because there's nothing wrong with a little bit of recycling. XD I'm really sorry about Cas's feelsy nightmare at the beginning, but Purgatory affects everyone in bad ways. I promise that Metatron has nothing to do with the Darkness. That idiot is totally dead. Poor Cas was just remembering that awful time that Meta-douche tried to take his baby. :( Thank Chuck Dean was there to calm him down. ;) And I know that Clare's behavior in this chapter seems a little bossy and rude, but A) He doesn't have very good manners because of his harsh upbringing, B) he feels that he has to protect Jude, Jess, and Ollie (because they're younger and more innocent) and C) living with Bobby Singer, Crowley, and Rowena has made him a bit sassy. ;D (Jude will have to help him tone that mouth of his down a bit, eh?) ;D I really hope you guys liked the chapter! Thank you soooo much for reading and commenting! Hearing your opinions and ideas actually helps shift the course of the story, and I appreciate the feedback very much! :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Once they got their uncle Michael to finally join the Darkness fight, Jude and Jessica helped transfer their unconscious uncle Adam back to Bobby's house. Not only did they have to fly Adam there, but they also had to take all of the medical equipment attached to him too. They started by moving all of it close to the bed, even placing some of it on the bed with him, to form a neatly compressed package. Michael used his grace to keep electric current flowing to the machines so that they could transport him safely. Jude really hoped that uncle Bobby's study would have enough room to house all of this stuff and the people surrounding it. Otherwise, some of them might appear on top of the desk or something.

Jude, of course, braced himself as Jessica counted down from three. She and Michael basically flew everyone back to Bobby's in under a second. The violent inertia made Jude sick to his stomach, but he tried his best to ignore it; especially since Clarence was holding his hand the whole time. All six people landed in the middle of uncle Bobby's dark study, just three inches shy of the desk near the fireplace. The whole room was still only lit with candles, where the power was out – that is, until Michael started plugging the machines into the walls. He must have used his grace to turn the power back on or something because a few lamps and the TV clicked on, filling the room with light and sound.

Within a few seconds of reappearing in the house, uncle Bobby – and a tear-stained, frazzled-looking Ms. Jane – dashed into the study from the kitchen. Uncle Bobby briefly closed his eyes and exhaled with relief, reminding Jude of the way his parents looked when they lost him in a crowd and found him again. Bobby was clearly happy to see the teenagers – but his eyebrows drew together when he saw the hospital bed that they were huddled around. Ms. Jane only searched the faces long enough to find Ollie and she immediately dashed to him with arms wide open.

“ _Oliver!_ ” she whimpered, almost tackling him with a hug.

“Hey, mom,” Ollie smiled, hugging her back, “I'm sorry I – Ow! _Ow_!”

All of the sudden, Ms. Jane had switched from hugging Ollie to smacking his shoulder repeatedly. She was furiously ranting in Spanish, saying some things that Jude didn't recognize at all, even after all the years of hearing her speak a different language. After one last, generous smack, she planted one hand on her hip and wagged a finger at Ollie with the other.

“Oliver Edwardo Thompson, don't you ever do that to me again! I mean it! You had me worried _sick_!” She barked.

Jude bit down a sudden smile and shared a tiny look with Clarence, who was also entertained by watching Ms. Jane scold Ollie. Oh man, breaking out the middle name? Ms. Jane meant business...

“Okay, okay! I'm sorry!” Ollie squeaked as he rubbed his shoulder, “I was only trying to help!”

“It was my fault, Ms. Jane,” Jessie volunteered with her head down, “I wanted him to come with me to get my uncles.”

Jessie gestured toward Adam on the bed and Michael standing near by. Michael, of course, was too worried about making sure that Adam's body was comfortable than to say hello to strangers. Still, Ms. Jane's eyes softened when she looked around and gave Jessica a hug.

“I'm glad to see you too, Jessie,” she admitted, “Oi, you children will be my death.”

It surprised Jude to see that Ollie's mom was acting relatively calm. Wasn't she curious about how they were able to appear inside the study in no time? Did she know that she was hundreds of miles away from home? And that she was standing in the same room with two nephilim, a half-demon, and an archangel? And that their parents were trapped in another realm? Jude wanted to ask these questions, but he didn't, of course. For all he knew, Ms. Jane probably thought this was all a dream. Or maybe uncle Bobby had already told her about everything while they were gone...

While Jane hugged Jessie and started to calm down, Jude noticed that uncle Bobby was walking closer to get a better look at the strangers in his study. The old man stared at Adam the longest and his eyes started to fill with disappointment.

“Ah, hell,” he muttered, “Don't tell me that's Michael...”

“No,” the tall guy in the denim jacket replied, “That would be me.”

Almost everyone in the room looked at Michael after he spoke. Jude knew that of everyone present, Michael was the oldest. Somehow, that must have meant that he was the wisest, too. If anyone could explain what was happening just outside, it had to be Michael, right? Apparently, Jude wasn't the only person who thought so. Uncle Bobby narrowed his eyes toward the self-proclaimed archangel in an almost distrusting manner.

“Nice of you to join us,” Bobby grumbled, “D'you mind tellin' us what the hell's goin' on?”

While Michael paused for a moment to sigh and smooth out Adam's hospital blanket, Jude tightened his hand around Clarence's. They still hadn't let go of each other and Jude was glad. If he didn't have Clare to hold on to, Jude would have been lost...

“Darkness has escaped,” Michael said simply.

“No shit,” Bobby huffed, “but why? How did it manage to send my boys to Purgatory? What the hell is Darkness anyways? And how to we gank it?”

Jude definitely wanted to hear the answer to all of those questions, especially the one about his dads. Everyone in the room was silently staring at Michael, waiting on him to reveal the truth. The archangel started by taking a large breath.

“Darkness is not a person, Robert Singer. Therefore, it cannot be 'ganked',” Michael began, “Darkness is made up of many things. You've heard the old saying, 'Darkness is the absence of light?' That is true in every sense. Darkness is the absence of joy, the absence of courage and bravery, of love. To everything 'light' and good, there is a 'dark' and terrible opposite. And that opposite stems from Darkness...”

Jude gulped, feeling the hairs raise on the back of his neck. That Darkness was more than just dark? It was _everything_ dark? Like fear and sadness and stuff? But how? Jude remained quiet as Michael continued.

“There is a reason that angels are made of light,” the archangel admitted, “We – my three brothers and I, especially – were made to combat the Darkness. Our Father created us to seal it away; to bind its power and limit its reach. Raphael, Lucifer, Gabriel, and I were able to restrain Darkness and lock it behind a very powerful spell. Once the Darkness was gone, our Father was finally able to begin the Creation. He built the Earth and its inhabitants inside of what once belonged to the Darkness. And now, it seems, the Darkness has broken free. I can only gather that it wants to restore the universe to the way it was before light ever existed.”

For a few moments, everybody just stared off in different directions to let Michael's explanation sink in. Everything was starting to make sense, now. At least they had a better understanding of the creature they were trying to fight.

“So, it's a big ball of smoke that your dad locked away because it makes people sad and afraid?” Clarence blurted flatly, rolling his pretty eyes, “Yeah. Okay. Sure. Whatever. How do we kill it?”

“There is no killing it,” Michael spat, “If that was possible, we would have done it before the Creation. Like I said, it isn't a physical being. It is the combination of everything Dark in this universe.”

On the other side of Adam, Jessie stepped away from Ms. Jane and placed her hand on the railing of the hospital bed.

“But it spoke,” Jess said, “It talked to my Papa.”

“Just because Darkness isn't physical doesn't mean it isn't sentient,” Michael said, pivoting his head a bit, “Darkness can speak. It can fight, too. In fact, if you try to fight it, it is able to use certain fears and memories against you. It destroys you from the inside out. That is another reason why my Father created four archangels instead of just one. A single being on their own is easy for Darkness to defeat, but several together is much harder. That is also why Adam had Eve.”

“ _Buddy system,_ ” Jude breathed.

His parents had been right all along. Jude always thought that the buddy system was just an annoying way for Dad and Papa to keep track of him and Jess, but he was wrong. They used the buddy system for safety. There really was power in numbers, especially when fighting the Darkness. Michael gave Jude a slow nod, agreeing with his quite statement. Uncle Bobby, however, still seemed agitated.

“Well if that's the case, why did it send our boys to Purgatory?” he asked.

Michael didn't answer right away. His eyebrows slid together and he blinked at Bobby strangely.

“What boys?” he asked.

“Dean, Sam, Cas, and Gabe,” Bobby recited, “They're in Purgatory, and they're all human. We're tryin' to get them back.”

Again, Michael paused to think. His eyes circled the floor and Adam's bed for a few seconds before he found a way to respond.

“When a human dies, their souls are sent to either heaven or hell,” the archangel reminded, “I can only assume that heaven is no longer open to them, and Purgatory was the closest area available. I'm not sure if Darkness was even aware of the other realms that my Father created.”

“Of course you would know, aye?”

Everyone glanced toward the kitchen, where Crowley was standing in the doorway. As usual, his hands were neatly stuffed into the pockets of his suit jacket and he was staring blandly at Michael. When the demon entered the room, he paused to stand next to Bobby.

“Tell me, Michael,” Crowley purred, “How did you manage to get out of the cage? I put every trap known around that blasted box, yet here you stand, while your brother remains imprisoned. Care to explain?”

The attention of the room slowly swiveled back to Michael and Jude felt really curious. That was a good question. Did Michael break out of the cage like Jude did when he was ten? If so, how was he able to put it back together and keep Lucifer inside? How were Michael and Adam separate and on Earth? A severe look of defeat spread across the archangel's face and he slowly released a sigh.

“When we all fell into the cage, I was able to scratch some of the Enochian chiseled on one of the bars,” Michael admitted, “It wasn't enough to break the spell completely, but it left a sizable gap for a small amount of grace to reach through. Of course, I didn't tell Lucifer about it. I tinkered with the gap only at times when his back was turned, which were rare and far between. I knew that the only way to get out would be if I could find some kind of link to Earth. When I wasn't fighting with Lucifer, I desperately searched for an opening; any kind of doorway that I could fly through. Luckily, I was able to find one. And I teleported Adam and myself to safety.”

“And then you took him to Chicago for medical attention?” Bobby guessed.

“No. We appeared in Chicago,” Michael explained, “Someone was in the middle of creating a portal to hell, and the doorway opened up in the basement of a house near the river. Adam and my appearance there caused some kind of explosion and I realized we were no longer using the same body. He was knocked unconscious and the house was on fire, so I flew him to the nearest medical facility for treatment... And because he is in a coma that I cannot cure, that's where we've been for eleven years.”

After Michael's last statement, Jude noticed that Clarence had stiffened beside him. The half-demon's hand was no longer holding onto Jude's, but going limp. Jude looked up at his boyfriend's face and could see a bit of curiosity and disbelief in his eyes. What was going through Clare's head? What was he thinking?

“You... You caught the house on fire?” Clarence repeated, his voice hollow.

“Yes,” Michael nodded, “When my grace separated from Adam's body, the light and heat were powerful enough to create flames, I'm sure.”

Jude gulped, feeling his own chest tighten in pain. Clarence looked so mad all of the sudden; absolutely furious. What was wrong? Why did he look so angry? Clarence's ground his jaw together for a second before he let go of Jude's hand completely.

“Were there blue flowers painted on the basement walls?” he asked.

It seemed like Michael didn't understand why Clarence had asked such a bizarrely specific question.

“What?” the archangel asked.

“I said,” Clarence growled carefully, stepping away from Jude and staring at Michael with fire in his eyes, “Were there. Blue flowers. Painted. On the basement walls?”

Jude felt so helpless in that moment. He had no idea what Clarence was talking about. But it seemed like Michael did. The archangel in the denim jacket glanced away for a second as if he was recalling the memory.

“... Yes...” he finally admitted.

As soon as Clarence heard the answer, he yelled and ran across the room with his fists drawn. Before Jude knew it, he was watching his boyfriend punch Michael repeatedly. Clare's fists were connecting hard with the archangel's face, but it didn't seem to hurt Michael. If anything, Michael was too shocked to respond.

“ _You burned down my house!_ ” Clare shouted, his voice echoing through the house, “ _You killed my moms, you bastard! I'll rip your freakin' lungs out!_ ”

Jude's heart leaped into his throat. What?! That was _Clarence's_ house?! Clare's house had blue flowers painted on the basement walls?! Michael had burned it down?! And killed all his adoptive witch moms?! For a moment, Jude was too stunned to move. He only blinked and watched Clarence beat the shit out of Michael. But after he realized what was happening, Jude raced across the room to stop his boyfriend. Michael was really strong and he couldn't let Michael hurt Clarence again.

“Clare, stop!” Jude pleaded.

Clarence's eyes were jet black; glossed over with his demonic aura as he hit Michael repeatedly. Bobby rushed over and tried to help Jude pull him off of the archangel, but Clare was determined to actually kill him.

“Get off him, boy! This ain't the time or place!” Bobby shouted in a stern voice.

“ _No! He killed them!_ ” Clarence barked back, “ _He killed them all!_ ”

Jude knew that Clarence wasn't going to stop unless there was a powerful intervention. Hoping to calm him down a bit, Jude let his hand light up with grace. The heavenly touch persuaded Clarence to immediately drop Michael's shoulders. Once his grip was released, Jude and Bobby quickly towed Clarence backward; carting him toward the kitchen to get him as far away from Michael as possible.

“I'll kill you,” Clare shouted, though his voice was slowly trailing off as Jude applied more grace, “I'll... I'll freakin'...”

By the time Jude and Bobby sat him in a chair, Clarence's panting breath had calmed to faint huffs. The look on his face – all the pain and rage and heartbreak simmering in his features – made Jude feel so bad. He had no idea that Michael – his own uncle – was the cause of the house fire that turned Clare into a homeless little boy. Even though Jude had nothing to do with it, he still felt terrible.

The teenager pulled up another chair and sat down in front of Clare so that he could lean forward and wrap him into a hug. It was all he knew to do. Poor Clarence had been through so much; _too_ much. And Jude wished that he could somehow make it all better. Luckily, the hug seemed to help because Clarence's arms raised to circle Jude's back as he buried his face into Jude's neck. Was there anything Jude could say or do? He just wanted to heal Clare; mend his heart and get rid of the bad memories.

“I'm sorry.”

Jude raised his head at the sound of the low voice nearby. To everyone's surprise, Michael had followed them into the kitchen. The archangel's face was beaten up pretty badly – bloody nose, bruised lip, swollen eye – but it didn't seem to hurt him. In fact, of what Jude could see of Michael's facial expressions, the guy appeared more sad than anything. Still resting inside Jude's hug, Clarence slowly lifted his head up to look at the archangel too. He didn't say anything though, because he was still under the calming effects of Jude's grace.

“I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I was only trying to get Adam home,” Michael explained, “I'm very sorry for all the pain I've caused, and I know that nothing I say or do can make up for killing innocent people. The only way I can truly attempt to redeem myself is by making better choices in the future. Starting with the Darkness. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, demon, because I don't deserve it. All I ask is for your toleration. Not for my sake, but for the sake of the only one I love.”

Michael gestured toward the study behind him, where the machines surrounding Adam's bed buzzed with activity. Jude was actually surprised to hear Michael saying such nice, level-headed things. It wasn't everyday that his angelic relatives were so patient and understanding. Jude looked toward Clarence in front of him, hoping that his boyfriend would be willing to at least put up with Michael's presence long enough to get rid of the Darkness. At first, Clarence was understandably upset. He only glared up at Michael's injured face for a while. It wasn't until he looked back at Jude, and saw the pleading look in Jude's eyes, that his anger finally subsided.

“If it wasn't for Superman, you would be dead right now,” Clare spat bitterly toward the archangel.

Jude felt a blush appear on his own face. He loved when Clarence referred to him as Superman... Though he was out of the loop on the nickname, Michael gave a single nod as if he took the snide comment as a good sign. The archangel turned his attention to Crowley nearby and put on a slight look of authority.

“We will need safe and speedy passage to Hell,” Michael informed.

Crowley almost gave a loud chuckle at the archangel's request. His dark eyes narrowed in offended disbelief.

“First, you crowd my husband's study with unwanted guests. Then, you piss off my son, who has every right to kill you. And _now_ you're asking me for safe passage into _my_ kingdom?” Crowley scoffed in disbelief, “The nerve of you archangels never ceases to confound me!”

Michael huffed a breath and closed his battered eyes for a moment, seeming equally irritated.

“Unless you want the Darkness to destroy everything that you hold dear – including your husband, son, and kingdom – you will do this,” Michael said, “I hate this situation just as much as you do. Believe me, I don't want to go to Hell either... but to imprison Darkness, we will require Lucifer's help.”

Uncle Crowley's head tilted and he blinked a few times.

“Lucifer?” he repeated.

Michael nodded in defeat again as he touched his swelling cheek.

“Yes,” he confirmed, voice full of distaste, “My brother.”

* * *

Between their instantaneous arrival with Adam, the lengthy speeches that Michael gave, the way that Clarence's eyes turned black, and Jude's hand lit up, Jessica was pretty sure that the cat was out of the bag for Ms. Jane. Ollie's mom didn't say a word as all the events happened. She just watched with weary, tearful brown eyes during the Winchester family squabble. Jessie kept in mind to stand next to Jane the whole time, to protect her in case the small fight got worse. Luckily, Jude was able to calm Clare down and take him to another room... which gave Jessie a chance to talk to Ms. Jane.

Jess expected lots of Spanish rantings and confusion from her future mother-in-law, but Jane was surprisingly calm. Ollie seemed a little taken back by his mom's reactions, too. Jess and Ollie shared a small look of understanding before converging in on her.

“Ms. Jane, I'm... I'm sorry that you had to find out like this,” Jessie muttered.

It was all she could think to say. She really hoped that Jane understood what she was talking about. Luckily, the lovely Hispanic lady smiled a little and reached out to pat Jessie's shoulder.

“It's okay, Guapa,” Jane consoled gently, “Your uncle explained it to me... I just... I am relieved to know my son has real angels watching over him... Especially one as sweet as you.”

Jessie could almost feel tears pressing at the back of her eyes. Aww. Ms. Jane really thought that highly of her? That was so sweet! In that moment, Jessie really wished that her dads were there. She wished that she could turn around and tell Dad and Papa how much Ms. Jane liked her; how they were practically family already... but her parents weren't there. They were still trapped in Purgatory, far away. And the only way to save them and stop the Darkness from taking over was to go and get uncle Lucifer...

“Ms. Jane,” Jess blurted, feeling her smile slip away again, “We have to go and do one more thing. It's kind of dangerous, but I really want Ollie to come with me. Is it okay if he comes? I promise I will watch over him the whole time, and it shouldn't take us too long – ”

“Jessie.”

Jess, Ollie, and Ms. Jane turned at the sound of Jude's voice. He was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the study, holding hands with Clarence – who was still glaring at Michael nearby.

“We need to go,” Jude urged, nodding toward the backdoor.

Jessie gulped and turned back to her boyfriend and his mother, knowing that Ms. Jane wouldn't want Ollie to go with her; especially if Jane knew the destination they were headed to. And, of course, there was acute worry and hesitation on Jane's face. It was clear that she didn't want to let her boy out of her sight again... But when Ollie reached out to take Jessie's hand, Jane's expression seemed to lift. She glanced between the two teenagers and let out a heavy sigh.

“I am very lost and worried,” Jane admitted, her rich accent muffled with grief, “... but I have faith in you. Cuidate, Calabaza. Por favor.”

“Si,” Ollie nodded, using his free hand to pull his mom into a hug, “Te amo, Ma.”

Jessica swallowed a bit as she watched the sweet interaction between her boyfriend and his mother. It wasn't very often that she got to hear them talk to each other in Spanish like that; like it was their own private language. Jessie really needed to study up on her own Spanish so that she could talk to Ollie like that as well...

After their heartfelt goodbye, Ollie and Ms. Jane parted ways and Jessie was able to lead him to the kitchen. On the way, she caught sight of Michael saying goodbye to Adam. He was leaning far over the bed and whispering something into Adam's ear, petting his hair the whole time like a lover would do. The sight made Jessie's heart ache. It seemed like everyone was leaving someone they loved behind...

Michael asked Bobby and Ms. Jane to watch over Adam while he was gone, which – of course – they agreed to. The archangel fixed his face too, from where Clarence had beaten him up pretty badly, before flying everyone to Bobby's garage. Aunt Rowena was in the middle of working on a spell that could link the hell portal to the one in Purgatory, but agreed to pause her progress long enough to let them go to Hell.

“Fine. Be my guest,” Rowena huffed when they asked her, “Just keep in mind, the longer you dilly-dally in Hell, the longer it's going to take to get those boys back. I'm only one witch, not a miracle worker... Clarence? What's wrong, lamb?”

Next to Jude, Clarence only shook his head under Rowena's concerned stare. The raw anger and pain from finding out that Michael was responsible for his house fire had lingered on his face. Even Jessie could tell that he was still upset.

“Nothing,” he forced out, “I'll tell you about it later.”

Though she seemed reluctant to let Clarence stay upset, Rowena nodded her head of red curls and opened the portal for them. A black void appeared inside the stone arch that Jude and Jess's dads had built years before, revealing the way to Hell. Uncle Crowley led the way inside, directing the path straight into his kingdom. Jessie was fully aware of how nervous Ollie was. His hand was like a vise grip on hers; trembling and clinging with enough force to make her hand lose circulation. Still, Jessica held on right back. To be honest, she was feeling a little nervous too. Not about going to Hell... but about coming face-to-face with the same angel that had tortured her dad and almost killed her Papa.

Between the stories that her parents told her and all the books she read, Jessica already had a strong sense of Lucifer's character. He may have been Grandpa Chuck's son and her Papa's brother, but he was all but lost to them now. Deceit, greed, betrayal, murder – Lucifer's whole life story was peppered with evil intentions. And, honestly, Jessica had already pretty much decided that she hated him... But now that Darkness was a threat, she tried her best to at least give him a chance. Besides, she had never actually met him in person. Maybe he was different than what people said. Maybe there was still some good in him somewhere. Jess had to believe that was true, because the whole world basically depended on it.

Uncle Crowley led the five of them – Jess, Ollie, Jude, Clare, and Michael – down a series of hallways and corridors. Hell reminded Jessica of a very old and huge castle; a haunted one that was filled with the echoes of tortured souls. She kept her focus on the migrating group in front of her instead of the screams. It was hard not to think about all the people trapped down here for eternity. ' _I'm proud of you, Sunshine,_ ' she imagined her Papa's voice saying to drown out the scary noises, ' _That's my baby girl!_ '

The group eventually stopped at a certain door and uncle Crowley turned around to look at Michael with a harsh stare.

“Should any harm befall these children while you're in there -”

“It won't,” Michael promised, “Give me ten minutes and I will have Lucifer on our side.”

Jessica shared a private look with the rest of the teenagers behind Michael's back. Really? He planned to have Lucifer on their side in ten minutes? How could he possibly convince the devil to help them in such a short amount of time? Though he seemed just as skeptical as everyone else, Crowley forced a nod and opened the door.

It was almost like the doorway led to outside. It was a dark and foggy place; like a swamp at nighttime. Lightening was streaking across the sky overhead while a haze covered the ground. Michael strolled into the place without hesitation, leaving the teenagers to follow him. Clarence was able to coax Jude along, and Jessica was able to inch inside with Ollie. The five of them made a small line all the way toward the massive cage in the middle of the area.

A huge metal cage etched with Enochian markings and draped with heavy chains sat just before them. A wall of fire surrounded the box too, making it difficult to see inside. But even though the cage itself seemed intimidatingly strong, a pair red eyes were peeking out from inside, making Jessica's skin crawl. Was that... Lucifer? Was he watching them walk closer? Just before the group reached the fence of flames, the view of a face grew around the red eyes. Two hands gripped the bars and a body leaned close to the edge, allowing the firelight to reveal Lucifer's appearance.

Unlike his cartoon depictions, the devil wasn't red. He didn't have a tail or horns, either. In fact, the devil looked kind of... unimpressive. He was just a guy with glowing red eyes. Jessica felt a mixture of relief and slight skepticism. _This_ was Lucifer? He didn't seem very tough. After seeing what Jude was capable of, Jess was sure that her cousin could probably take him in a fight... Still, Michael was hesitant to go any closer. The older archangel remained a good distance away from the fire. And it seemed like his presence really pissed off Lucifer.

“ _Mikey_ ,” the devil growled, his fists tight around the cage bars, “You're still alive? Why are you still alive? Better yet, why the hell are you standing over there instead of in here with me? I thought we were having _fun_ in here. I thought we -”

“Darkness has escaped, brother,” Michael interrupted, cutting right to the chase, “You remember Darkness...”

For a second, Lucifer was quiet. The pent up rage on his face slowly morphed into something else, as if memories of the Darkness were swirling in his mind. They must have been bad memories, because he didn't look too happy. Still, Lucifer managed to maintain his prideful look.

“Good,” the devil spat, “Maybe it'll kill you. Somebody ought to.”

Jessie heard Clarence's voice whisper ' _agreed_ ' somewhere nearby. She didn't think that anyone else caught it, because no one scolded him. In the small silence that followed Lucifer's hateful comment, Jess noticed that the glowing red orbs of his eyes had gravitated to her. The teenage girl practically froze under Satan's gaze, able to feel him looking at every inch of her body like he was appraising a cut of meat.

“Jessica,” Lucifer purred, “My, my... I never thought that the daughter of my brother and my vessel would look so... full figured? Is that phrase still acceptable? Or do the kids prefer 'booty-licious' now?”

Jessica paled and felt like hiding herself immediately. Ew, she didn't want to be looked at that way! Especially not by her creepy uncle! No one was allowed to look at her 'full figure' like that! No one except Ollie, that is. And Ollie seemed to be more upset about it than she was. Jess's red-haired boyfriend slid in front of her with a death glare, putting himself between her and the devil's prying eyes.

“Hey, watch your mouth,” he barked in a warning tone.

Jessie's mouth fell open. Ollie was actually bossing Lucifer around. Holy cow, he was so brave; like a knight in shining red hair. Uncle Lucifer scoffed in surprise as his gaze shifted to Jess's boyfriend.

“How about you step in here and make me, kid?” the devil challenged, the red in his eyes spiking with heat.

“Enough,” Michael interrupted, regaining everyone's attention, “Lucifer, you know what it's going to take to put away Darkness again -”

“Yeah, yeah. I remember,” Lucifer grumbled, “The only reason you're here is because you need me. But don't hold your breath, Mike. I don't want to have anything to do with you, let alone 'Daddy's creation.' As far as I'm concerned, it can all burn... Besides, even if I did decide to take pity on you, it wouldn't matter anyway. Raphael is dead. And it'll never work with just three of us.”

“Actually, it can,” Michael argued, pausing to gesture toward the teenagers behind him, “These nephilim are just as strong as we are. I've witnessed the power myself. They can fill in for Raphael and Gabriel -”

“Gabriel?” Lucifer said, his eyes widening, “What the hell happened to Gabe?!”

“Darkness placed him in Purgatory. Along with Castiel and the Winchesters,” Michael informed, “As of this moment, you, these nephilim, and I are Earth's only hope.”

“Aaaaand you expect me to just waltz out of this cage and help you? _You_ , of all people?” Lucifer scoffed, “Everyone might think I'm evil, but I'm certainly not an idiot. Go screw yourself, Mike. Piss off and enjoy the terrible death that awaits you.”

The devil let go of the bars and turned away, tearing his red eyes away from the group to focus on the back floor of the cage. Michael sighed heavily and briefly rubbed his forehead before looking back up.

“You haven't heard my peace offering yet,” the archangel called.

“Don't care. Go away. Kick your own ass on the way out,” Lucifer called, his cold tone echoing through the void.

“I'll destroy this cage,” Michael blurted.

Even from the few yards distance, Jessie could see Lucifer's head raise. Though he wasn't looking at them, the devil was listening. But Jessica and Jude shared a small look of terror. Destroy the cage? But, what if Lucifer needed to be put back in it? That didn't sound like a wise plan, but Michael quickly continued anyway.

“I'll use my own grace to tear it down,” he offered, striding closer as he stared at the back of his brother's head, “Once you walk out of this box, you'll never have to go back inside another one ever again. I'll make sure of it.”

Jessie was a little nervous about Michael's offer. Letting Lucifer walk free forever didn't seem like a very smart thing to do. Maybe they should have talked about this before coming here. Inside the Cage, Lucifer finally turned around and came back to look at Michael from the edge. His expression had shifted from anger to flat out disbelief.

“So what?” he challenged, “Other cages can be made. Do you seriously think I'm that stupid? Do I have 'jackass' written on my forehead somewhere? Michael, _you_ were always the stupid one; blindly following Dad's orders and shit.”

Michael groaned loudly as if he was fed up with trying to argue with his brother. After nodding his head and looking around, he shrugged and turned away.

“Fine. Stay here and rot,” Michael hissed, already starting to shoo the teenagers toward the exit, “We can manage without you.”

Jessica's heart pounded hard in her chest. What? Really? They could manage without Lucifer? If that was the case, then why were they even here? Was Michael telling the truth? … or was this a bluff? While everyone walked back through the void, Jessica watched Lucifer in the distance. The closer everyone got to the door, the more anxiety seemed to creep on his face. Soon, the only thing Jessica could see were the two tiny red orbs growing smaller. And just as Michael reached for the door handle –

“Wait!”

A tiny smirk flickered on Michael's lips but disappeared before he turned to look at his brother in the foggy void. Lucifer was glaring hard at him in the dark, gripping the bars with rage again.

“If you really want my help, I have a condition,” Lucifer called.

Unimpressed, Michael crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. He must have seen it coming.

“What?” he inquired.

In the flickering shine from the lightening above, Jessica briefly saw Lucifer's silhouette. He was grinning, now; staring through the bars like a person consumed with madness and delight.

“I want the throne,” he eventually stated.

Between the teenagers, Michael rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“I don't think Crowley will relinquish his rights to rule over – ”

“No,” Lucifer barked across the void, “Not Hell's throne... I want Dad's throne.”

Jessica had to cover her mouth to muffle the gasp she inhaled. What?! Lucifer wanted to take Grandpa Chuck's place or something?! The guy was absolutely crazy! They would never let anything like that happen! Even as Jess thought this, she could tell that Michael was mulling it over in his mind. The archangel was actually considering Lucifer's condition.

“You want to rule Heaven?” Michael asked to clarify.

In the distance, Lucifer nodded in the firelight, looking terrifyingly giddy with his red eyes glowing. Jessica was already shaking her head back and forth. No! There was no way they could let Lucifer rule Heaven! That place belonged to Grandpa Chuck and all the souls of dead humans! What was Michael thinking?! He couldn't really agree to that, could he? To Jessica's utter shock and disappointment, Michael's head began to bob up and down.

“... Deal.”

It felt like Jessica's heart dropped several floors as she gripped Ollie's hand tight. No! How could Michael do that?! Jessica's parents would be _horrified_ if they knew this was happening! Jess turned to look toward Lucifer a few yards away, where his red eyes loomed over a shining white grin between the bars of his cage.

“Deal,” he agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whats that old phrase? Never make deals with the devil? I guess Michael never got that message. Lol ;) I know the angst seems really bad right now, but don't worry folks. I have a plan. :D I really hope that Michael's description of Darkness was easy to understand. Of course, we will learn more about Darkness (first hand) later. And I know what you're thinking; “ _Snailhair, come on. What are the odds of Michael being responsible for burning down Clare's house? Isn't that a bit of a stretch?_ ” yeah, probably. Lol. My idea behind that is: When Clare's witch moms discovered that he was half-demon, they decided to try and get in contact with someone from Hell, to figure out his parentage. Of course, they didn't get far before Michael hopped on board and rode that portal to Earth. So, yeah. Be careful where to plant your portals, people. XD Oh, and Ollie's middle name is 'Edwardo' (after his dad) and he absolutely hates it. XD And speaking of the Thompson family, earlier in the chapter, Jane says “Take care, Pumpkin. Please.” in Spanish. And Ollie replies with, “Yes. I love you, mom.” (If it's wrong, please correct me, as always. Lol) :D I know we didn't get a chance to see the Dads in Purgatory this time, but we will check in with them next week. ;) I seriously cannot thank you guys enough for all of your comments and support. Like, honestly, your words help me through the day. Every day. And I'm honored to have all of you as readers. *group hug* XD The next chapter – which contains some first-time Judence smut! – will be out soon! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attention readers! This chapter contains underage Judence smut, as well as some pretty graphic references to Clarence's past. I would consider this a trigger warning for those of you who may have dealt with sexual trauma. Please be advised and read at your own risk!

Between the agonizing pain in his leg from being clawed by vicious werewolves, to the burning ache of his over-worked lungs throbbing in his chest, Gabriel felt like he was on the verge of passing out or something. The four of them – he, Sam, and their brothers – were currently running through a gray forest, heading northwest and dodging various groups of predators hidden in the distance. Dean and Cas were leading the front, swinging their homemade bone swords to cut down brush and any monster in their way, while Sam lingered behind with Gabe, who could barely keep up.

Dammit, he hated being human! Not only was his weak mortal body threatening to give out, but his mind and soul were bogged down with anxiety. 'What if's were circling in his head like angry vultures. What if the kids couldn't find Michael? What if they did find him, but he wouldn't help? What if something happened to Bobby and the other adults and the kids were left all alone? What if Darkness succeeded? What if Jessica was hurt? What if she was dying? _What if Gabriel made it back through the portal only to be greeted by his daughter's lifeless body?!_

“ _Stop!_ ” Gabe groaned toward the others.

The archangel stumbled onto the slate-colored ground and gripped handfuls of dead leaves, panting hard. Just ahead, Dean and Cas paused and turned back to see what was going on. And next to him, Sam knelt down to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“I know you're hurt, but you've gotta get up, Gabe,” the archangel's husband breathed.

“No, I – I can't,” Gabe denied, feeling tears crest in his eyes, “I can't do it! If I get back through there and... and its all dark... and my daughter is... _No, I can't!_ ”

Gabe suddenly sobbed into the ground, feeling his whole body quiver in fear. He couldn't stand the thought of his precious bunny getting hurt! She was still so young and innocent! She didn't deserve to be put through this shit! Why did Gabriel's past always have to come back to bite him in the ass?! Dammit, this wasn't fair! While Gabe cried loudly, he could feel Sam's huge, strong hands starting to tug him upward. The giant hunter rolled the archangel over and cradled him softly in his long arms.

“Sam,” Dean's voice called, “We've gotta go.”

Sam simply lifted his index finger toward his brother, silently asking him to wait. Afterward, he turned his attention back to his grieving husband.

“Gabe, Jess is fine,” he assured, voice as steady as a river, “Remember what Dean told Cas about Jude last night? Well, it's true for Jessie, too. Besides, she's got your grace, man. That means you're practically there with her already.”

Sammy's sweet comment only made Gabriel sob louder. Ugh, that wasn't enough though! Gabe wanted to hold his baby rabbit and keep her safe from everything! Sam shushed Gabe as he pat his arm, sparing a worried glance at the trees as if he thought it would attract other creatures.

“I know,” Sam nearly whispered, bringing his sight back to Gabe, “I know you're worried. We're all worried. But right now, you have to get up, Gabe. Jess needs us to make it back to her.”

Gabriel sniffled a little and reached up to wipe the moisture out of his own eyes. Sam was right. Gabe couldn't just lay here and cry like a baby when his daughter needed him. That old Winchester notion of never giving up was practically coursing through his veins all of the sudden. If Sam always kept fighting, then Gabriel could too, right? Still, his leg was absolutely killing him.

“I... I can't run anymore,” the archangel admitted, reaching a trembling hand toward the open wounds on his calf.

“It's okay,” Sam nodded, “I'll carry you.”

Before Gabriel could even take a breath to protest, Sam was climbing to his feet and reaching both arms out for Gabe to take. The archangel shook his head, wanting to stop Sam from actually carrying him because he knew that he was nothing but dead weight. Still, Sam took both of Gabe's hands, twisted around, pulled Gabe's arms over his shoulders, and hoisted the archangel up like a giant backpack. Sam looped both of his own arms under Gabe's legs while Gabe held onto his neck. The quick maneuver left Gabe in awe and surprise. He knew his husband was strong, but holy shit, Sam was so casual about it.

“Y – you don't have to do this, moose,” Gabe commented.

“Sickness and health, remember?” Sam replied simply.

As he gently bounced with his husband's long strides, Gabriel smirked a little and buried his face into the side of Sam's long, soft hair. God, Sammy was such a smooth talking bastard.

“If we make it out of this, you're getting the greatest blow job of your life,” Gabe hummed playfully into Sam's ear.

The moose-man chuckled a little bit but kept his stride. He carried Gabe without a word of complaint and Dean and Cas started leading the way again, heading in the direction of the portal that they all hoped would take them back to their kids.

* * *

Jude was stuck in a daze when Michael opened the cage to free Lucifer. It didn't take very much effort for the archangel to extinguish the wall of flames and break all the chains on the metal bars. Lucifer was able to pop himself out and rise up to stretch dramatically in the same space as everyone else, wearing a proud smirk the whole time. While it was happening, Jude could hear his cousin's frantic voice hissing a slur of worried exclamations.

“ _He can't do that! Michael can't do that!_ ” Jessie denied, shaking her head of blonde curls as she tugged fiercely at Ollie's jacket sleeve, “ _Lucifer can't take over Heaven! It belongs to Grandpa!_ ”

Jude fully agreed with his cousin's confused outrage, but he couldn't find his voice to say anything. Lucifer and Michael were both walking toward them, now; Lucifer in front with Michael close behind. Honestly, Jude had always been equal parts terrified of and mad at the devil. Terrified of him because of all the unspeakable, disruptive, horrifying things he had done to humanity. But absolutely pissed at him for turning Uncle Sammy into his vessel and using it to hurt Jude's dad. Needless to say, Jude couldn't help but glare at Lucifer when he approached with that stupid smile on his face.

“Look at all these little tadpoles,” Lucifer cooed, his eyes continuing to glow red as they shifted between all of the teenager's faces, lingering on Clare's last, “It's hard to believe you all pack the same punch as your ol' uncle Lucifer. Maybe we should go a few rounds. You know, for practice and stu -”

“Stop trying to intimidate the children,” Michael barked from behind, as he shoved Lucifer toward the exit, “We don't have time to listen to you flaunt your selfish ego. We're going to Robert Singer's house at once.”

Lucifer turned to glare at Michael and fix his clothing – which consisted of nothing more than a t-shirt, flannel, and jeans – before turning on his heel and striding toward the door. Michael fell in line behind him and motioned for the teenagers to follow, but Jessie caught him by the arm to stop him. Angered panic still haunted her eyes.

“How could you do that?!” she breathed in a scolding tone, “Our dads are going to _kill_ you when they find out you gave Heaven to Lucifer!”

Michael glanced back to see that Lucifer was already walking through the door to meet Crowley on the other side and paused to assure Jess.

“I agreed to let him rule Heaven, I never agreed to help him claim it,” Michael quickly pointed out in a whisper, “Besides, what is left of Heaven? Nothing but a few scattered angels and swarms of Leviathan. Our Father isn't even there. At this moment, Earth is more important. If Lucifer wants to daydream that he will one day take our Father's place, so be it. As long as he helps us get rid of the Darkness, I will let him think that he is in control. And you all would do well to follow my lead.”

After the last syllable was out, Michael turned and started walking away before anyone could protest. Jessie glanced back at the boys and Jude could tell that she wasn't convinced. It seemed like Michael's bargain wasn't as honest as he made it out to be. Was he seriously trying to trick the devil? That probably wasn't going to work out too well for anyone...

Not wanting to let the archangels get too far ahead of them, the teenagers quickly scuttled for the exit. Uncle Crowley seemed extra leery of Lucifer. He kept his head down and avoided eye contact with the devil as everyone made their way through Hell to get back to the portal. Walking with Lucifer at the front of the group made Jude feel uneasy, but maybe Michael stayed in the back to keep an eye on him. Ollie made sure to keep himself between Lucifer and Jessie at all times; taking the form of a protective human shield. Jude couldn't blame him for doing that. Lucifer did seem quite perverted and scary, especially when it came to poor Jessie.

When the group finally came through the garage, Aunt Rowena seemed a little stunned to see Lucifer heading the group too. She paused her work to gasp at him as he went by, free hand clutched to her chest and eyes wide. Clarence reached out to give her shoulder a reassuring pat as they walked by and it made Jude smile a little. If there was anyone in their group that could keep Lucifer in line, it was probably Clare. Jude's boyfriend didn't put up with crap from anyone.

Instead of walking from the garage to the house, the archangels simply flew everyone into the kitchen. Jude assumed that it was because they didn't want to risk the Darkness seeing them outside. Bobby and Ms. Jane had lingered near the table and both gasped when everyone else reentered with a gust of wind. They seemed relieved to see everyone, but Jude noticed that Bobby's eyes zoomed in on Lucifer and stayed put. The sight of his uncle's distress made Jude feel terrible. Bobby probably hated having the devil inside his house. Lucifer took a deep breath and looked around like he was appraising every detail of Bobby's kitchen, including the people inside it.

“So, this is all the manpower you've got to gangbang the Darkness, huh, Mike? Not a very good looking bunch,” Lucifer grumbled, his gaze wandering toward Jessie again, “Except for you, Princess.”

The devil leaned back on the counter and stared hard at Jessica, over Ollie's shoulder. She was trying her best to hide behind her boyfriend, but it didn't stop their uncle from being a total pervert.

“You know, I've possessed quite a few people in my time. Including your dad. I fit inside him like a glove,” Lucifer purred, “But, honey, I sure would like to get inside of _you_ and see how it feels...”

Every single person in the room turned to converge toward Lucifer at once. Jude and Ollie were in the lead, both stepping toward the devil in unison to put him in his place – but _Ms. Jane_ was the fastest. The Hispanic lady flew through the crowd, stomped up to Lucifer, and laid a generous _smack_ across his face. She pointed a stern finger at him afterward, wearing her classic mom face.

“Watch your vile tongue in the presence of ladies!” she warned.

Jude was momentarily stunned. Whoa! Jane slapped Lucifer! Ollie's mom totally just slapped Satan himself! Lucifer was equally surprised at being hit in the face by a human. He held his cheek and blinked at Jane in complete bewilderment.

“Did – did you just hit me?” he grumbled, turning to look at Michael, “Did she just hit me? I can't believe she just hit me! Does this woman know who I am?”

Ollie, who now looked a little pleased with the fact that his mom just slapped the devil, smirked and leaned forward to tap her shoulder.

“Mom, this is Jess and Jude's uncle Lucifer,” he introduced calmly.

Utter horror washed over Ms. Jane's face as she glanced back and forth between her son and the short haired, red-eyed archangel in the room. Her hand slowly rose to cover her open mouth and she started to back away slowly.

“ _E – El Diablo_...” she breathed behind her hand.

Luckily, Ms. Jane's slap seemed to get Lucifer's attention away from Jessie and back on the monumental task at hand. He gave Jane an odd look as he rubbed his cheek, but eventually turned back to Michael and Bobby, who were beginning to talk.

“Alright, Michael, you've junked up my house with strangers and filth. Now, what's the plan? How're we gonna get rid of this Darkness?” Bobby asked.

“We must find the source of its reach and bind it away again,” Michael explained, “It will take four of us, just as it did the first time. Lucifer, the two nephilim and I will travel to the entrance of its prison and force it back in. The rest of you will stay here and...”

Michael's voice trailed off under the sound of Lucifer's laugh. The devil chuckled to himself by the counter as his eyes wandered back and forth between Jess and Jude. Michael eventually sighed and turned to face him again.

“What?” the older archangel barked.

“Oh, nothing,” Lucifer shrugged, “It's just, you're leaving the fate of the universe in the hands of these toddlers. It's adorably pathetic, even for you.”

Jude felt a streak of anger and resentment flash through him. Pathetic? Lucifer thought that Jude and Jessica couldn't help just because of their ages? That was stupid! Dad and Papa always told Jude that he could do anything, and he firmly believed the word of his parents over some creepy, estranged uncle.

“They can do this,” Michael assured, “I've seen the power of their grace. It's extraordinary.”

“Yeah,” Jessie agreed from behind Ollie's shoulders, though she was still avoiding Lucifer's eyes, “Besides, we have our Papas' grace too. We can use it along with our own.”

“You have Castiel and Gabriel's grace?” Michael asked, which received nods from all over the room, “Excellent. That will make this task much easier.”

“Pfffff,” Lucifer scoffed, letting out a few more laughs, “Castiel's grace isn't gonna help much. Gabe's might, but that little boy over there won't stand a chance with a seraph's grace. Might as well kill him now and save ourselves the trouble.”

Clarence instantly shot a severe scowl toward Lucifer.

“That tiny cage of horrors you were trapped in is nothing compared to what I will do to you if you ever threaten Jude's life again,” the demon stated calmly.

Lucifer only rolled his eyes as he and Clarence had a small stand off, but Jude's heart was sinking. How could anyone talk so badly about his Papa's grace? Jude was created in that light; it was his shelter when he was scared, his blanket when he needed comfort. And to hear that it wouldn't be much help against the Darkness made Jude upset... Still, Michael argued for the teenager's inclusion.

“It doesn't matter. The nephilim grace should be sufficient,” the archangel said, eying Jude, “At least, for the duration of the spell.”

“Duration of the spell?” Bobby repeated, his voice tainted with disbelief and worry, “What? Are you saying that doing this is going to drain their grace or something?”

“It will drain all of our graces,” Michael nodded, “A dark room will only stay lit for as long as a candle wick can burn. Just so, an angel can only combat the Darkness for as much grace as they hold. And seeing as the nephilim are only teenagers... there's no telling how long they can last...”

The was a few seconds of silence, in which everyone glanced around vacantly. Jude felt Clare's fingers tighten around his own as they stood next to each other by the refrigerator.

“You mean Darkness could drain the very life out of them?” Crowley asked out loud.

“... yes,” Michael carefully replied.

Jude closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Strangely, the first thing that came to his mind was a memory of his parents. It was only a few hours prior that they had hugged each other at Jude's birthday. Dad and Papa were so proud and happy to see their son turn seventeen. They were always proud of Jude. They told him so almost every day. And if there was one thing Jude knew about his parents, it was that they never gave up. Dad and Papa, and Sam and Gabe too, they always kept fighting, even in the face of death. That was one of the main things Jude admired about his parents; how ready they were to die for him and each other. Jude had faith that he could help put this Darkness away, especially with the help of Papa's grace. Besides, if they could put the Darkness away quickly enough, the angels probably wouldn't have to worry about draining their grace. Jude was ready to fight.

Clarence, on the other hand, was dead set against it.

“Yeah? Well then, Jude's not going to do it,” the demon scoffed.

Jude blinked and turned his sight to his blonde boyfriend, feeling kind of offended. Why would Clarence speak for him like that? Did he really think that Jude didn't want to do it?

“Yes, I am,” Jude argued.

Clare spun back to give Jude a pair of scrunched eyebrows and downward frown. Clearly, he didn't realize that Jude actually wanted to keep going whether it put his life at risk or not. But it didn't seem to matter anyway, because Clarence had already decided how he felt.

“No, you're not,” Clarence challenged, his eyes huge, “They just said that shit has the power to kill you! Were you listening?!”

“Yes, I heard them,” Jude replied, keeping his voice soft, “But it doesn't matter. The world is being eaten alive and we need to do something about -”

“Who gives a shit about the freaking world?!” Clarence interrupted, voice high and angry.

“I do,” Jude answered firmly.

After the blue-eyed teenager spoke his mind, Clarence tossed Jude's hand away to grab the front of Jude's shirt with both hands. There was a panicked sense of frenzy in his eyes; an acutely worried and upset twinge that Jude never saw before.

“I'm not gonna let you go out there and risk your life for that wasteland of jerk-offs and garbage,” Clare spat, letting go to point a finger toward the rest of the angels, “Let these assholes deal with it! It's their fight, not yours! You're worth more than ten of them, each! And I'm not going to let you burn out like a damn candle wick! I won't let you!”

Jude's heart was thumping hard inside his chest, just beneath Clare's trembling fistful of fabric. He knew that Clarence's words were coming from a place of love. Clare just wanted to keep Jude safe from harm, like any good boyfriend would... but Jude knew that he had to do the right thing. There was no way he could just stand by while the world – his home – was in danger. And even though he knew it was going to hurt Clare very much, Jude had to force his next sentence out.

“... I don't need your permission,” the teenager reminded soberly.

Jude might as well have shot Clarence directly in the heart. The demon's hands dropped from Jude's shirt, his mouth dipped open, and his greenish-brown eyes slowly filled with pain. Jude's heart ached as if someone was squeezing the blood from it. He could even feel tears swelling in his own eyes. Ugh, he hated making Clarence upset! But he knew he had to tell the truth, no matter how much it hurt.

Clarence only blinked at Jude for a few more seconds before whipping around and stomping away. He groaned with rage and banged his fist on the kitchen wall as he ducked through the doorway and blazed down the hall. Jude took a few steps after him, watching him shove over a stack of books as he made his way toward the basement door. The demon all but flew down the stairs, kicking and hitting things along the way. Clarence was really pissed about Jude's decision to help put away the Darkness, but his anger only left Jude heartbroken. Jude never meant to hurt Clare. He only wanted to help... A hand slid up to rest on Jude's shoulder.

“He probably just needs some time, Jude,” Ollie quietly offered.

Jude gulped and nodded as he stared at the vacant basement doorway down the hall. Ollie was probably right. But they didn't have much time left...

* * *

After the small spat between Jude and Clare in the kitchen, Michael told everyone that he and Lucifer were going to spread out and find the source of the Darkness's escape. Just as he did before going to Hell, Michael took the time to whisper in Adam's ear before leaving. Jude didn't know what he was saying, but he found it all very sweet. Lucifer, on the other hand, was a brat about having to go out and 'help' humanity, but eventually agreed to go with his brother. He mentioned something about looking good in a crown before flying off with Michael, which left everyone else to wait at Bobby's.

Jessie and Ollie sat down with Ms. Jane at the table and started slowly filling her in about everything that was happening. Jess even showed some of her grace to Ollie's mom and everything. In the meantime, uncle Bobby and Crowley spoke to each other near the back door in hushed tones. Jude could hear his uncle Bobby saying that he was really anxious for Rowena to finish the portal and get the teenagers' dads back, while Crowley voiced his concerns about letting the devil walk the Earth yet again. Jude glanced around the room and felt a little lonely. It seemed like everyone was getting comfort. Except for him and Clarence...

Jude's demonic boyfriend was still smashing around in the basement, letting out his anger by breaking stuff. And while Jude wished that he could help Clare feel better, he also knew that talking to him probably wasn't the wisest thing to do at the moment. Besides, what would he say? They just couldn't agree on what to do about this situation they were trapped in. And the distance between them broke Jude's heart.

With Clarence cooling off in the basement, Jude saw no harm in seeking sanctuary in the guy's bedroom. He wandered down the hall and opened the door to Clare's room, where the sweet smell of the demon's cologne hit him in the doorway. Even though the power was on, the lamps in this room were off. There was a single candle lit on the dresser that gave off just enough light to make the room visible. It must have been burning for a few hours because wax had pooled all around it. Jude eyed the candle as he gently slid out of his own jacket to hang it on the back of Clare's desk chair. Michael's earlier words were haunting his mind again. _A dark room will only stay lit for as long as a candle wick can burn_. The short flame flickered teasingly nearby, threatening to blow out at any second. Maybe that's what Jude would look like compared to the Darkness...

With his jacket and shoes off, Jude carefully walked over to climb up and sit on Clare's bed. He bent his knees and hugged them as he stared at the flickering candle nearby, feeling grief start to creep into his body. Man, he really wished his dads were there. He wished that Papa would fly in and hold him; wrap him into a hug and kiss his forehead. He wished Dad would walk through the door, sit down close by, and tell him that he was doing the right thing. Because right now, Jude was so afraid and unsure. He didn't want to burn out like a candle. He just wanted to help save the world, like his parents did all the time. He wanted to prove that he was more than just a little boy who was scared to fly. He wanted to be brave and fearless like everyone else in his life. Jude wiped away a few stray tears that managed to escape his eyes and sniffled against his knees. Why did life have to be so hard?

Pretty soon, the doorknob across the room rattled. Jude looked up to watch the door open and a figure step inside. With one small flame as the only source of light, it took Jude a moment to realize that he was looking at Clarence. The demon had calmly stepped into the room and was now leaning against the closed door with his arms crossed. Though his body resembled a wall, his eyes were a window into the pain inside. Clare took a small breath in the silence as they blinked at each other.

“I'm sorry,” the offered, voice low and relaxed, “for bossing you around, Jude. I just... I can't stand the thought of losing you.”

Jude gulped and nodded against his knees, feeling his heart thump a little more gleefully. He knew that Clare's outburst had come from a place of love, but hearing Clare say it out loud made him feel loads better.

“I know,” Jude mumbled back, shifting his legs around, “I promise I'm not doing this to hurt you, Clare. I just can't wait around and do nothing while the world is falling apart, especially if I can help.”

Clarence shook his head a little bit as a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“The world doesn't deserve you,” he admitted boldly.

Jude nestled back into his comfy position, feeling a blush appear on his cheeks as he glanced away. That was a really sweet thing for Clarence to say... Still, Jude felt a little worried about facing such a powerful foe. Superman might have been Jude's nickname, but he was far from ever being that awesome.

“I'm gonna face the Darkness and I don't even have a license yet,” Jude remembered out loud.

Clarence chuckled a little from the door, filling the room with the beautiful sound.

“You don't even have _chest hair_ yet, Jay,” Clare added playfully.

“I've never had alcohol, either,” Jude went on with a huge smile, “And I've never...”

Jude was too embarrassed to finish the rest of his sentence. He just coughed and glanced away shyly. He was going to bring up the fact that he was still a virgin, but remembered that sex was a touchy subject around Clare. Unfortunately, Clarence seemed to know what Jude was going to say anyway, because his smile soon faded too. For a moment, silence reentered the room as they both looked away from each other. Jude felt awful. He should have known better than to mention something like that at a time like this.

From the corner of his eye, Jude noticed Clarence starting to move. The demon slowly stood up straight from the back of the door and there was a softer look in his eye. He seemed really gentle all of the sudden; more calm and determined than he had been all day. Jude watched from the bed as the demon strolled over to his desk chair and leaned over to dig around inside Jude's jacket pockets. Clarence retrieved both the potion of courage that he got for his birthday – and the condom that his Dad gave him earlier. Jude's heart rate increased dramatically at the sight of Clare holding both items. Whoa. Was Clare actually thinking about... having sex with Jude?

The blonde demon paused to uncork the tiny bottle of red liquid and inhale deeply. Jude stared in awestruck silence as Clare quickly tossed back a small gulp of his own courage potion. He made a face as if the liquid burned his mouth and shoved the cork back into the open bottle that was still half full. Afterward, he leaned back over to put the potion back into Jude's jacket pocket, but kept the condom in hand. Jude's heart was pounding in his ears by the time Clarence started to walk toward him. Holy shit. Clarence was taking off his own leather jacket and everything. He really was going to have sex with Jude...

Jude's mouth had run completely dry, but Clare's mouth was able to restore some moisture. Their lips collided in a firm but caressing way; tongues slowly inching out to meet. The spicy, heated flavor of the potion was still lingering in Clare's mouth and it tasted so good. Jude closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the sensation of his boyfriend's kiss and felt Clare's hands tugging up his shirt. Jude willingly started helping discard his own clothes. Even though his heart was beating fast with anxious arousal, his face was blazing hot, and his hands were shaking, Jude wanted to keep going. He had waited for this moment for a very long time and was eager to show Clarence how much he loved him...

Soon, the two of them were just in their underwear on Clarence's bed. Jude couldn't help but look up and down the length of Clarence's body to admire all the creamy skin and flexing muscles. Clarence's body was so beautiful; so lean, tall, and well-formed. Jude's hands traced as much of it as they could, even up Clare's spine and the long, deep scar across the back of his shoulders. But as they embraced, Jude noticed that Clare's movements were very calculated. He didn't seem very eager to be touched. And for that very reason, Jude didn't let his hands stray too far south. He only kept them on Clare's warm, exposed skin.

Clarence eventually guided Jude back to lay down on the bed, where his mouth moved to kiss Jude's neck. Jude bit down a few whimpers and shifted around as he felt Clarence's hand snake down to his bulging underwear. The demon was massaging Jude's member through the fabric, deliberately stiffening it with his squeezing fingers. It wasn't long before Jude had a genuine erection.

“ _Clare_ ,” Jude sighed in a hot breath.

The sound of his own name must have made Clarence happy, because he returned his mouth to Jude's for a second to kiss him. In the meantime, Jude could feel Clare's hands pulling down his underwear. Jude's heart pounded hard against his ribcage as he felt himself being exposed. Once Jude was completely naked on the bed, Clarence raised up to rest on his knees. Jude watched from below in the dim candle light as Clare used his teeth to open the condom wrapper. Arousal and embarrassment were still fighting for dominance in Jude's mind when he eyed the tiny rubber circle in Clare's fingers. Without hesitation, the blonde demon simply reached down to roll it over Jude's erection; carefully holding the shaft steady and slipping the condom on in seconds. It was such a quick and easy motion that Jude almost couldn't believe it. It would have taken him a few minutes just to get his shaking fingers to work. Clearly, Clarence had done this before...

Before Jude had too much time to dwell on his own thoughts, Clarence raised up to remove his own underwear – which allowed Jude to see his firm erection, too. Gazing at the rest of Clarence's body made Jude's own shaft flicker around excitedly. Clare was so _beautiful_ ; inside and out. Jude couldn't wait to love his body as much as he loved his soul. Wanting to share some of the physical pleasure, Jude reached out to grab Clarence's erection – but Clare intercepted his hands. The demon firmly placed both of Jude's hands on his hips before tossing a leg over Jude's waist. Before Jude knew it, he was staring up at Clarence's naked body and feeling the tip of his own erection rubbing against the crack of Clare's backside.

The demon shifted around a little, reaching back to grab Jude's erection and guide it toward his heated hole. Jude's trembling hands clung desperately to Clare's warm hips as he felt himself sliding into his boyfriend's body for the first time. Ugh! Clarence was so warm and tight! Even with a condom on, Jude could feel the muscles clinching against him. Above him, Clarence was wincing a little and biting his lip as if it hurt him. But Jude didn't want to hurt Clare. He only wanted Clarence to feel good.

“Cl – Clarence,” Jude sighed erotically, “We can trade places if you wa -”

The rest of Jude's sentence was muted by Clare's mouth. He had leaned forward to capture Jude's lips, stopping him from going on. For a second or two, Jude was so overwhelmed by the feeling of Clarence's muscles on his erection and the taste of courage swimming between them that he forgot what he was going to say. Oh God, being inside Clare felt _so good_! Jude's hips felt like thrusting. Was it okay if he started thrusting? He was already rocking back and forth a little, but could he go faster? The answers to his questions seemed to come when Clarence raised back up and started to bounce slowly.

Jude groaned verbally at the drastic change of speed, letting his eyes soak up the sight of Clarence moving on top of him. Clare was riding him like a cowboy riding a horse, making his heavy privates bounce against Jude's lower stomach in the process. The grimace on his face had faded into a look of pure determination, though his mouth was open and panting. Jude was panting too. Pleasure was coursing through his whole body and he knew it wouldn't be long before he saw stars.

But even though he could feel himself getting close to the edge, Jude tried to hold back. He didn't want to finish unless Clarence could do it with him. Again, Jude tried to reach over and take hold of Clarence's flicking erection. But his fingers only got to graze the ridged veins of the shaft before Clare grabbed his hand. This time, the demon brought the angel's hand up to his face, where he gently kissed Jude's palm and rubbed his cheek against Jude's fingers. Jude whimpered and caressed his boyfriend's glistening face while he thrust into him. Though he didn't understand why Clare didn't want him to touch him sexually, Jude was just as happy to cup his handsome face.

“Clare,” Jude panted, rocking his hips a little quicker, “I'm really cl – close!”

Jude hoped that stating his urgency would convince Clarence to let him help him to the big finale too, but Clare only leaned forward to kiss Jude's mouth again. He was rocking his ass up and down the length of Jude's shaft and whimpering a little, getting Jude closer with just the sounds. And though Jude tried his best to hold it back, he just couldn't fight the massive storm of pleasure that took over his body. It momentarily possessed him, making every thought flee his mind and every pain pass away. Jude moaned into the hot cave of his boyfriend's mouth and could feel his own member pulsing. Ah! Clarence was so tight and warm! Jude loved feeling this! Being able to share this intimate, amazing experience with Clarence made Jude feel loads better.

Once Jude's thrusts slowed to a stop, Clarence carefully raised himself up and slid over to join Jude in laying on the bed. Jude's head was all fuzzy and his body felt so relaxed, and he really wanted his boyfriend to feel the same way. He knew that Clarence didn't get to finish the way that he did, and Jude really wanted to help him get there. Being as slow and careful as possible, Jude rolled over to meet Clare's mouth. While they kissed in between panting breaths, Jude tried his best to slip his hand down between them unnoticed. But his fingers only got to their belly buttons when Clarence's hands stopped it. Jude hummed a little, feeling so bad. In the candlelight, Jude could see just how vulnerable Clarence looked. He may have been older than Jude, but his eyes looked much younger. All Jude wanted to do was love him. Clarence knew that, right?

“I won't hurt you,” Jude promised in a whisper, “I _love_ you, Clare...”

For a second, Clarence's hand didn't let go of Jude's. He held it far away from his most private parts for an extra second or two, as if he was too afraid to let go. But after searching Jude's face, Clare's fingers finally released his hand. Jude sighed with relief and quickly lowered his head to rejoin their mouths, wanting to physically assure Clarence as he finally reached down to take hold of his throbbing shaft. The guy's body was obviously turned on by what was happening between them, even though his mind was hesitant.

As Jude began to jerk the length of Clare's shaft with one hand, he could feel Clarence starting to tremble underneath him. His eyes were huge and blinking, as if he was struggling to deal with whatever thoughts were in his mind. Jude spread kisses all over Clare's mouth and even down to his neck and shoulders, wanting to keep him calm and get him to the finish as gently as possible; especially since it seemed like Clare was having trouble focusing. In the meantime, Clarence's hands rose up to hold onto Jude's head. The demon was blinking rapidly up at the angel's face, as if looking at him helped get him to the finish. Jude tightened his own hand as Clare began to rock his hips and could tell that the end was near. Clarence was close to an orgasm. Jude could see it on his handsome, glistening face.

“Ah,” Clarence groaned, voice hitching as he panted toward Jude's mouth, “ _J – Jay_!”

Before Jude knew it, he felt hot liquid splattering up his arm. He didn't look down to see it though, because he didn't want to break eye contact with Clarence. It seemed like looking into Jude's eyes made Clare feel better and Jude didn't want to take it away. Still, the warm fluid pulse for a few seconds but eventually stopped when Clare paused his hips. Jude slowly released the hot shaft and let it go limp between them. And after one more long, passionate kiss, Jude rolled back over to let Clare catch his breath.

The two teenage boys panted in unison as they laid on their backs and blinked lazily up at the ceiling. Jude made sure to keep his hand on Clare's though. He wanted to keep touching him even though they weren't looking at each other. When thoughts began to return to Jude's mind, he felt his mouth dip open further in sudden surprise. Holy shit. Jude wasn't a virgin anymore. He and Clarence just had sex for the first time! And it was everything Jude hoped it would be! But, oh man, he really hoped that Papa never found out... Jude eventually rolled over to press his lips to Clarence's bare shoulder. He really wanted to tell the guy how much he loved and appreciated him, but couldn't really find the right words.

“I was nine.”

Jude paused his affectionate kiss to look up at Clarence's face. In the extremely dim candlelight, Jude could see that the guy was still staring up at the ceiling. His eyes were kind of glazed over, though; like he was remembering something.

“Nine?” Jude repeated, hoping that Clarence would continue.

“When I first... did something like this,” Clarence admitted, his voice so low that Jude almost couldn't hear him.

Most of Jude's happiness vanished in an instant. What? Clare was only nine years old when he first did something sexual? Why so young? And who was it with? Jude wanted to ask what happened, but Clarence went on before he could say anything.

“You couldn't blame me, though. It was winter in Chicago and I was freezing to death,” he mumbled, “It was my first winter on my own, and I had been thrown out of every store between Goodwill and Macy's because they were closing for the night. So I just kind of ended up under a bridge around a campfire with some other homeless people... I remember how cold my toes were. I remember how hungry I was, too. I couldn't tell whether my stomach hurt from lack of food or heat. It had been a few days since I had eaten... When that guy rolled up in a shitty SUV, offering me food if I got in his warm car, how the hell was I supposed to say no?”

Jude gulped, but didn't say a word. Oh, no. This story wasn't going to be a good one...

“He seemed nice,” Clare nearly whispered, “I thought he genuinely wanted to help me. So of course I climbed up in his car to get warm. He asked me where my parents were, I told him that my house burned down and that I didn't have any. He had a bag of drive-thru burgers in his hand, but instead of just giving it to me, he told me to... to touch him first...”

Jude tried to hold in his gasp, but could still feel warm tears rising in his own eyes. No! How could an adult ask something of a kid like that?! Clarence coughed a little, letting go of Jude's hand so that he could cover his mouth, and Jude could tell that Clare was trying to hold back tears of his own.

“I'd never grown up around men, so I didn't know what they were like,” Clare went on, “I actually thought 'hey, maybe this is normal. Maybe it's a guy thing.' So I didn't argue. I just... did what he told me to do... with my hands... and when he was done, he gave me the bag and told me to get out of the car. I was a little confused, because I thought...” he paused to sniffle sadly, “I _actually thought_ he was going to take me to his house and let me live there. I thought I was going to have a new home or something... but when I got out of the car and he drove off, I was too hungry to feel bad. I just swallowed those burgers whole... Shit. I still hate the taste of burgers...”

Warm, wet tears were dripping from Jude's eyes and sliding down Clare's shoulder, glistening in the candlelight. He hated hearing these things; he hated knowing that his beloved Clarence was treated so badly by strangers. But it seemed like Clare wanted to get it all out and let Jude hear it. Even though he and Jude were both tearing up, he kept talking.

“But I learned that I could use that stuff to my advantage, you know?” Clarence said, “I figured out that I could get things from people by letting them spend time with me like that. When you're young, weirdos are willing to pay anything to play with you. Especially the rich ones. Rich people are freaks... and I – I eventually developed a drug problem, which only made things harder, because then I had to keep giving myself up so that I could feed that monster of addiction... You know that guy we ran into earlier? The one you tossed through the window?”

Jude realized that Clarence was talking to him and he quickly nodded his head to answer the question. Yes, he remembered that homeless-looking guy. He tried to touch Clarence in front of Jude and Jude had to teach him a lesson. Though he never actually looked at Jude, Clare nodded back.

“He was my main supplier,” Clarence admitted shamefully, eyes locked on the ceiling, “Usually, our transactions consisted of money... but there near the end, when I was about to go looking for the bunker, I was getting desperate for fixes, so I... I let him touch me to get it... And I hate myself everyday for doing that shit. I mean, h – how messed up do you have to be to let someone screw you for drugs?” Clare gasped, his tears falling faster as his breath hitched, “The worst part, was that I – I was so high all the time that I didn't even feel bad! I didn't feel anything! Even when I was being used, I just laid there and took it! God, what's wrong with me?! Why did I do that?! Why did I let that happen?! What was I – ?!”

Jude stopped Clarence's frantic voice by rolling over to bury him in a fierce hug. He couldn't stand hearing the raw agony in Clarence's voice or the disturbing tale of his teenage years. He didn't want Clarence to hurt anymore. He just wanted him to feel loved, because he deserved it more than anyone. It wasn't his fault that he got tossed into the real world too early and was left to deal with this all alone. He was still innocent in Jude's eyes.

“It's okay, Clarence,” Jude whispered softly as he raked a hand through the demon's messy hair, “I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, but it's okay now. You're here with me, and I'll never let that happen to you again. No one is ever going to hurt you. I love you with all my heart, no matter what.”

The teenager hoped that his words would help his boyfriend relax a little bit. Jude couldn't take the bad memories away, but he could at least help Clare feel better. The two of them hugged each other until Clarence's heaving sobs quieted down to gentle whimpers and soft breaths. Once he was sure that Clare was calmer, Jude raised up to look down at him from above, cupping his handsome face and using a thumb to wipe away the wet tears. Clare blinked up at him and slowly opened his mouth again.

“That's... That's why I was worried about doing this with you, Jude,” Clarence said, “Don't ever think that I don't want you that way, because I do. I just – I didn't want to be responsible for taking your innocence... because I didn't get to choose who took mine...”

Jude nodded and let out a gentle ' _shhh_ ,' wanting to keep his boyfriend as calm and comfortable as possible. He had no idea why Clarence suddenly wanted to tell Jude all about his past. Maybe it was the courage potion that he drank earlier or something. But he didn't have to keep going. Jude only wanted him to be happy, not upset. How could Jude make him happy again? Were there any parts of his past that were happy?

“Clarence,” Jude whispered softly, remembering what happened a few hours before, “Tell me about the blue flowers on your basement walls.”

Jude figured that there must have been some kind of pleasant connection with Clare and the flowers he mentioned earlier. Clarence's throat quivered with a gulp, but a tiny smile appeared just below his tear-stained expression. Jude felt the demon's hands slide up his bare back, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“Jeanette taught me how to paint them,” he said, voice much lighter, “She was one of the women I grew up with... She was painting something on a canvas one day, and I think I stole one of her brushes and started copying her by painting on the walls,” he chuckled a bit, “She didn't scold me, though. She actually knelt down on the floor with me and started brushing flowers on the brick. I don't know how long we spent down there. It was almost like a mural by the time we were done... Man, I wish you could have seen it, Jaybird. You would have loved it...”

Jude smiled, feeling so glad that Clarence's pain was gone. The sight of his smile alone was enough to make Jude feel at peace again. Clare must have known that Jude brought up the flowers to make him forget about his pain, because he seemed really touched by the remembrance of happy childhood memories. After wiping his eyes again, Clarence shifted on the bed to roll over with Jude, putting Jude on his back so that he could hover over him. Jude stared up at Clarence's face in the candlelight, studying his warm eyes with affection.

“Jude, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me,” he whispered with a heartfelt nod, “I love you more than anything... And if you're really set on facing this Darkness shit, then I'll go with you. I won't let you face it alone.”

After his breathless vow, Clarence lowered his head to seal it with a kiss. Jude welcomed Clare's mouth with his own, giving the same amount of love back to him. The taste of courage melted between their tongues before Clare let his heavy head fall on Jude's shoulder. Jude cradled Clarence's heated body against his own and nestled his head close to Clare's sweet-smelling hair. He was so glad to hear Clarence say those things. It made Jude feel so much better to know that someone loved him enough to face Darkness at his side.

But when Jude's eyes wandered over to see the candle burning on the dresser, his heart sank. Michael's words were playing in his head again, reminding him of his possible fate. If Darkness could drain Jude's grace like a candlewick, what horrific damage could it do to a half demon? The flickering flame looked so close to burning out; barely able to light the dark corner of Clare's room. There were a lot of things that Jude didn't know about when it came to the major battle on his horizon, but there was one thing he knew for sure...

He couldn't take Clarence with him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for hurting you with the feels regarding Clare's background story, guys. :( I'll admit, I actually cried a little bit while I was writing it. (As a matter of fact, the first draft of that part was far too graphic, so I went back and changed a few things to make it less horrible. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.) :( I hope it wasn't so horrible that you didn't enjoy the fluff around it, though. Because, really, all Jude wants to do is love Clare, regardless of what happened to him in the past. ;) When it comes to Lucifer and Michael and the whole 'ruling heaven' bit, don't worry too much, guys. I've got a plan, it just needs some time to develop. Lol. :) In the meantime, we get to enjoy watching Jane slap the piss out of Luci when he starts acting up. (The woman lived with Eddie Thompson, for Chuck's sake. She ain't afraid of nothing!) XD I really hope that Jude and Clare's first smut scene was up to par as well. Clarence was (understandably) hesitant to take Jude's virginity, but I think he's pretty okay with it now. ;) Again, I'm really sorry for the feels. And I hope that you guys are prepared for more angst, because next week is gonna be a doosy. ;) Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! I love you all so much! The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you read this chapter, you should know that it is packed _full_ of angst and there is a _horrible_ cliffhanger at the end. Also, I will be attending NashCon next week, so won't be able to publish chapter 10 until April 20th, in two weeks. (I know! It sucks!) :( If you want to wait that long to read, I totally understand. But if you are brave enough to read now, I wish you safe passage, my friend. Just keep in mind that I will always fix your broken heart at the end. ;) Thank you so much! I'll be waiting at the bottom of the page to give you a sincere apology!

Jessie had a feeling that Ollie's mom would find out about her family 'secret' one day. Some of her dreams about the future kind of hinted at it, so Jessie just assumed that Jane would know about the angel thing eventually. But as huge and life-changing as the news was, Ms. Jane seemed to be taking it better than Jess imagined.

As they sat at Bobby's kitchen table and waited for her estranged uncles to get back, Jess, Jane, and Ollie quietly discussed the Winchester family tree; how Jess's Papa and uncle Cas were brothers to Michael and Lucifer, and they were all sons of Grandpa Chuck. Jessie told Jane about her grace, too; how she could fly at the age of three and heal people by five. She explained the angel radio, the current state of heaven, and that uncle Crowley was actually the king of hell. Through all of this talk, Jess was secretly waiting for Jane to throw her hands in the air and deny that any of it was real. But, like her handsome son Ollie, Jane was open-minded and willing to believe it. In fact, it seemed like she had been suspicious of those 'special Winchesters' all along.

“Gabriel always seemed like a magician to me,” she admitted after a few minutes, tired smile on her mouth while her hands held onto Ollie's arm, “I suppose it was true.”

Jessie nodded with a smile of her own, even though thinking about Papa made her kind of sad. She really wished that she could see him... before she had to leave and face the Darkness...

It wasn't long before Michael and Lucifer reappeared in the kitchen. Their sudden arrival startled Ms. Jane, who flinched and gasped a little. Jess turned in her seat to see that the two archangels were standing several feet apart and staring in different directions as if they were refusing to look at one another. Lucifer was wearing a scowl too, imitating a petty child. Typical bickering brothers.

“Where is the other nephilim?” Michael asked, searching the kitchen for Jude.

“Down the hall,” Bobby stood up from the counter to answer, “Why?”

“Someone retrieve him,” Michael requested, sounding kind of sad, “... It's time.”

Blood slowly drained from Jessie's face, leaving her cheeks cool and pale. Oh, God. It was time. They had to go out and try to put the Darkness away. But now? So soon? Uncle Bobby must have disliked hearing the news too, because he stepped around Crowley to shake his head at the two archangels.

“You can't take these kids out there,” he breathed, voice cracking a tiny bit, “Rowena's almost finished with the portal. We should just wait until Gabe and Cas can get back here and let them go with y -”

“Darkness has already started devouring the world, Robert Singer,” Michael interrupted, “It has cracked open the Earth, which is draining the seas and erupting volcanoes. Large ecosystems have been devastated, entire species wiped out. It has completely shaded the upper atmosphere, and without light from the sun, this planet will wither and die. We have already waited too long... Please. Go and get the other nephilim.”

Michael's cool tone made the kitchen feel somber again. Jessie hated hearing those things. She hated knowing that the world was in such terrible danger. Hoping to lend aid, the teenage girl stood up from the kitchen table.

“I'll get him,” she volunteered.

A small glance at uncle Bobby made her heart ache. His bearded face was so full of worry and sadness. He really didn't want Jess or Jude to go out there and fight like their parents did all the time, but what choice did they have? Jessie eventually tore her eyes away from Bobby and focused on getting down the hall. She deliberately walked through the study to avoid going anywhere near Lucifer. Luckily, the devil was occupying himself by slowly ripping pages out of the Holy Bible, crumbling them up, and tossing them at Michael's head. The distraction was enough to let Jess pass into the hall and all the way to Clare's room uninterrupted.

Jessie figured that Jude had wandered down to his boyfriend's room. With Clare calming down in the basement, his bedroom was probably empty, making it a perfect place for Jude to hide and take a nap or something. Jessie didn't want to disturb him, but she knew that they had a job to do. After taking a big breath, Jess timidly opened Clarence's bedroom door and poked her head inside – where she saw a glimpse of two very naked bodies.

The brief sight of Jude and Clare laying naked together on the bed made Jess gasp, which accidentally gave her position away. Just before she ducked her head back out, she saw both boys look toward her in surprise. Embarrassment was quick to flood Jessie's face. Oh, no! Jude and Clare were totally having an intimate moment just now! And she completely ruined it! Jessie nervously paced back and forth outside of Clare's room as she heard the guys scrambling to get dressed just beyond the door. Part of her felt terrible for walking in on them like that. But hey, they sort of did the same thing to her and Ollie a few hours before, right?

The bedroom door eventually swung open, revealing red-faced Clarence and Jude, who were thankfully dressed. Clarence seemed more upset than Jude did. The blonde demon walked right up to Jess to point a finger at her.

“You didn't see anything,” he hissed, his voice housing honest worry.

Jessie wasn't sure whether to shake her head or nod, so she did both.

“Uh, n – no. I didn't,” she agreed, holding up her fingers in a 'scout's honor' formation.

Clarence straightened out his leather jacket and smoothed his collar before starting down the hall. His early departure left Jess and Jude alone and gave them a second or two to talk. Jessie wanted to somehow tell Jude not to worry about being intimate with Clare because she did the same with Ollie, but the look on Jude's face made her voice catch in her throat. Jude looked really heartbroken for some reason; like he was about to do something he didn't want to. At first, Jess assumed that it was because of their upcoming fight with the Darkness. But the longer she looked at him, the more she could tell it was something else.

“What's wrong, Jude?” Jess asked.

“Nothing,” Jude denied, slowly backing away, “I just, uh, have to use the bathroom. I'll meet you guys in the kitchen.”

Jessie knew that he was lying. Heck, anyone with half a brain could tell that he was lying. Even though she nodded and started to walk away, Jessie watched her cousin go down the hall. Instead of turning toward the bathroom, Jude turned toward the storage closet. And grabbed a small rug from inside...

Though she was tempted to call out to Jude and ask him what he was doing, Jess knew he probably had a reason. She finally turned her attention back to the kitchen doorway and made her way back into the full room. She made sure to stand on Clare's left side so that Lucifer was on his right, turning Clare into a barrier of safety. The demon strutted in and stopped to look at Michael and Lucifer with his hands on his hips. Even though Clare was doing a good job of hiding it, Jessie could tell that he had been crying recently. Man, what happened between Jude and Clare? Was their first time _that_ bad?

“Alright, assholes, how are we gonna lock this shit up?” Clare asked in a short tone.

While Lucifer continued to toss crumbled up pages of the bible at Michael, the oldest archangel ignored him to answer Clare's question.

“The main source of the Darkness' reach is coming from the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It has created a massive hurricane of sorts,” Michael explained, “Lucifer, the two nephilim, and I will travel into the heart of this black sea-storm, unleash our grace, and force Darkness to retreat to the prison from which it came.”

“And then everything will be sunny, and happy, and beautiful again,” Lucifer sang in a sarcastically cheerful voice with a cutesy face, “and once it's all over, I'll dust off Daddy's chair and sit my royal ass in it. Long live the king.”

Michael actually rolled his eyes at Lucifer's comment, but it made Jessie's skin crawl. She hated thinking that the devil might actually get to sit on her grandpa's chair... While everyone stood in the kitchen talking, Jess noticed Jude carefully slide inside the room. His head was down and the sad look still remained on his face. Why was he so sad?

“Jessica.”

Jessie's head popped up at the sound of her name. Michael was staring at her with a gentle, yet professional expression as he stepped toward the doorway that led into the study.

“If you really do have Gabriel and Castiel's grace, now would be a good time to distribute it,” he suggested.

For a second, Jess watched Michael make his way back to Adam's hospital bed. The archangel leaned over to pet Adam's hair, whisper things into his ear, and sneak small kisses to his temple. The sight of Michael's heartfelt goodbye to Adam made Jessica realize that this was it. It was time to face the Darkness. They couldn't put it off anymore, no matter how scary it was.

With a deep breath, Jess pulled the small wooden box out of her pocket and said her last name to open the lid. Papa and uncle Cas's grace lit up the kitchen with a warm glow from inside. Jess grabbed the necklace with Cas's grace first and held it toward Jude, who immediately took it and lowered it over his head. The shining blue charm laid against his chest just below the Superman pendant on his other necklace. Clare and Jude both stared at it while Jessie reached in to take out her own Papa's grace. The golden light made her feel so safe and loved; just like Papa himself made her feel. Jess tried to hold back the warm liquid pooling in her eyes as she slipped the necklace over her own head and held onto the charm. Man, she really wished that he was there in that moment. He would know what to say to make her feel better.

Almost as soon as Papa's grace was out in the open, Dickie hopped down off of Adam's bed – where he had been napping – and raced over to jump up and down at Jess's feet. He was whining loudly and barking, as if he recognized the sight of Papa's grace too. Jessie bent down to pick up Dickie and hug him in her arms. Aww, poor little guy. He probably missed Papa too.

“It's okay, Dickie,” Jess promised, “Everything is gonna be okay.”

Jess knew that she was saying those things out loud to comfort herself as well as the excitable dog in her arms, but it didn't seem to help much. She didn't want to face a giant monster that she knew almost nothing about – that is, until she felt Ollie's hand on her shoulder and turned around to look up at his pretty brown eyes. His freckled cheeks were raised with a tiny, sad smile as he looked over her proudly.

“I know you can do this, Jess,” he admitted, “You're smarter than Yoda, braver than Luke Skywalker, and prettier than Princess Leia. Defeating the dark side will be a piece of cake.”

A tiny giggle escaped Jess's smiling lips. Ollie was such an adorable nerd. Jessie loved him so much... Though Dickie was still in her arms, Jess reached out with her free hand to pull Ollie in for a kiss. The intimate heat from their earlier 'motel stay' reignited in Jess's stomach, causing her to kiss him deeper and pull her closer. She didn't want to let him go. She wanted to stand there with Ollie forever. But the house trembled with another small Earth tremor and their lips broke apart. Jess closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Ollie's. No matter what happened out there, she knew one thing for sure.

“I'm coming back to you,” she promised in the softest whisper possible, “I love you.”

Ollie nodded, making his red hair brush against her face.

“I know,” he smirked, quoting Han Solo like a boss.

Jessie's smile was genuine and full of love by the time she lifted her head up and took a step back. She shifted Dickie around and kissed his furry head before holding him out to her boyfriend. Ollie gladly took Dickie into his own arms and tried his best to pet him. The Jack Russell was wiggling around frantically and whining, as if he didn't want Jessie to go. Before the sight of Dickie and Ollie made her sad again, Jess quickly turned around to rejoin the rest of the angels.

Michael and Lucifer were both waiting by the back door, and for some reason, Clarence wouldn't leave Jude's side. They weren't even saying goodbye to each other and Jessie found it weird. Why weren't they saying goodbye? Was Clarence going to go with the angels or something? Jessie, Jude, and Clare all walked in silent unison toward the archangels across the room – until Clarence stopped short.

“What the hell?” the demon breathed.

Jessie paused and looked back to see what was going on, and found Clarence almost frozen in place. His top half still had motor function, but his legs and feet were planted together. Upon looking at the floor, Jess realized that he had stepped into a devil's trap, which was drawn on top of a small rug with silver marker. It wasn't until Jess turned back to Jude – and saw him putting down a silver marker with tears in his eyes – that she realized he had done this on purpose. Jude had trapped Clarence on a rug inside Bobby's kitchen; in a place far from the battlefield, where he would be safe.

Clarence seemed to realize it too, because his eyes slowly grew and his mouth fell open like he was utterly appalled. The demon tried his best to move his legs out of the trap, but they weren't budging. He was unwaveringly stuck in one spot.

“ _Jude!_ ” Clarence said, his tone harsh, “You jerk! What the hell are you doing?! Let me out of this thing, dammit! I'm coming with you!”

A small, shiny tear slid down Jude's cheek as he gently shook his head back and forth. His hand slipped down into his jacket pocket and he pulled out some kind of tiny bottle with red liquid.

“I'm sorry, Clare,” he squeaked as he pulled the cork out of the bottle and raised it to his lips, “I can't let you get hurt anymore.”

Everyone in the room watched Jude tilt the bottle up and drink everything inside. Jessie figured that it was some kind of potion, just from the fancy bottle and shimmering fluid. It all disappeared from the bottle as Jude gulped, and by the time he lowered his head and blinked around, he had stopped crying. A new look started to surface on his face; one of calmness and determination. His blue eyes found Clare's again and a sweet smile lifted on his mouth.

“It's okay,” Jude said, voice no longer trembling, but steady and relaxed, “I'm not afraid. I can do this.”

“ _No_!” Clarence barked, eyes glistening, “Don't leave me! Take me with you! _Please_!”

“Shhh, Clare, it's alright,” Jude hushed sweetly.

He paused to press his lips to his own fingers before blowing the kiss toward Clarence, who was still tearing up and starting to pant with anxiety.

“I'll be back before you know it,” Jude promised with a tender smile, “I love you with all of my -”

“ _Ugh_ , both of you shut the hell up!” Lucifer groaned dramatically, “This lovey-dovey shit is making me sick! Let's just _go_!”

Jessie spun around to yell at Lucifer for interrupting Jude and Clarence's personal moment, but before she could even take a breath to speak, Lucifer reached out to grab both Jude and Jess by the shoulder. With a single flap of his huge wings, Lucifer flew both teenagers away. Bobby's kitchen and everyone in it disappeared and was replaced by severe rain, gusting wind, and almost total darkness. Jessica gasped and reached out to hold onto Jude's arm next to her, feeling like the air was stolen from her lungs. Her feet weren't touching the ground! The teens were suddenly being battered by a massive, swirling hurricane, and there was no ground in sight! Behind them, Lucifer's eyes were glowing red, but his massive wings – which were spread out at his back – were brilliantly white against the blackened backdrop. The scowl on his face made Jessica feel extremely small.

“Unless you two wanna plummet to your death, I suggest you start flying,” Satan growled.

His hands released Jude and Jess's shoulders, suddenly dropping them toward the ocean. Jessica let out a tiny scream in shock, watching Lucifer's glowing body grow smaller as she fell. _Grace_ , The voice in her head yelled, _Use your grace_! Thankfully, just before Jessica entered the colossally deep swirl of sea water, her wings opened on their own and she was able to catch herself. As she hovered just over the depths of the ocean, Jessica panted and looked around in surprise. The charm on her necklace was defying gravity; floating up around her neck and shining brighter than before. Jessica didn't catch herself. Papa's grace knew she was in trouble and helped jump start hers. Jess sighed with relieve and privately thanked her Papa, even though he wasn't there.

Far above her, Jessica could faintly see three glowing forms hovering a few yards in the air. Assuming that Michael had finally joined them and Jude was able to use his grace, the teenage girl flew back up to meet the other angels. She could hear Michael scolding Lucifer as she approached.

“... _utter fool! It's no wonder our Father cast you out!_ _If you had accidentally killed one of these nephilim, where would we be?! Think before you act, Lucifer!_ ” Michael shouted, his grace-filled voice echoing against the raging storm.

“ _Go eat a dick, Mike!_ ” Lucifer barked back.

Jess was surprised to see Jude floating with the other two archangels. His grace – the brightest and purest light there, even next to the oldest archangels in existence – shined against the dark like a sun. He even smiled at Jess as she finally got back to them.

“Look, Jessie!” he grinned, gesturing to the open space around him, “I'm flying! _Me_! _I'm_ flying!”

Though she was fighting to keep her wings steady in the wet gusts, Jess nodded her head in approval. Whatever potion Jude drank must have been pretty powerful. He wasn't scared at all to fly. In fact, he actually did remind Jessica of Superman. But as much as Jess wanted to praise her cousin, she knew there were more important things to focus on.

“What are we supposed to do?” she shouted to Michael over the sound of the storm.

Although he was still pretty pissed at Lucifer, Michael was able to maintain enough composure to answer her question. The archangel turned toward the nephilim and pointed toward the huge, miles-wide crater that the ocean water was circling.

“We must surround that opening,” he explained loudly, as he braced himself against the unforgiving wind and rain, “Lucifer and I will say the spell that will force it back into it's holding cell, but all of us will have to light our grace for the duration. Use your parents' grace first, before you transfer to your own. Not only will that be more efficient, but I believe your parents would agree that – ”

In the middle of Michael's speech, Jessica felt something take hold of her legs and wings. It wasn't an actual hand; more of a pulling sensation, as if she was being absorbed by a vacuum. She shrieked out loud and tried to kick away whatever had her, because she was slowly falling out of the sky again. But when she looked back, all she could see was Darkness. And a deep, faint voice whispered on the air.

“... _Olapireta audcal...”_

A louder, much more frantic scream escaped Jess's mouth as she struggled against the force that was carrying her away. No! The Darkness thought that she was her Papa! It was calling her 'golden light!' What was it trying to do to her?! Before she could call for her cousin and uncles, Jessica was completely surrounded in Darkness.

At first, the harsh sound of rain and wind died down and faded into silence, as if she was wrapped inside a cocoon. Every flicker of light disappeared, even the one from her grace. It was like she was suddenly blind. Jessica was still able to hear her own panting breath, so she at least knew her ears were still working. But where was everyone else? Was she all alone? Had she fallen into the Darkness's prison? Oh God, what if she was trapped here forever?!

“H – hello?!” Jessica called, hoping that someone would hear her.

No reply came. No sound was made. Nothing came into view. She couldn't even feel anything. Where was everyone?! Surely Michael and Jude were looking for her, right?! What if the Darkness had taken her to Purgatory, like it did to her parents?

“Dad!” Jess suddenly shouted, “Papa!”

Still no reply. Only the sound of her beating heart and rushing breath were there to comfort her. At least she was still alive, right? And maybe if Jude was nearby, he would know it too.

“Jude!” Jess squeaked, feeling the urge to cry, “Jude, please help me!”

Jessica's heart started to pound and she suddenly realized – she had been here before. This was scene from a dream she had; one of the nightmares that haunted her childhood. And now it was coming true. Whenever she had this dream before, Jessica found it hard to sleep afterward. The only relief she got was from the help of her family...

Suddenly, there was a shift of noise around her. Jessica tried her best to look around, even though she couldn't see anything. It was like the cocoon of Darkness was being agitated by something; like the surrounding void was being damaged.

“Leave her alone!”

A tidal wave of relief swept over Jess's heart when the sound of Jude's voice echoed to her. He was there! Jude heard her, and now he was coming to get her! But she still couldn't see him. The dark cocoon shifted around again, sounding like a ship scratching against an underwater rock. The deep voice spoke again, but she couldn't understand what it was saying. It sounded like some ancient, language; a jumble of vowels and letters. But she did catch the last sentence – because, surprisingly, it was spoken in perfect English.

“... gold light is mine,” the deep voice warned.

“You can't have her!” Jude's voice argued, “If you want someone, take _me_! You can have _me_! Just let her go!”

Jessica felt like fighting. What?! No, it couldn't have Jude! Why would Jude say that?! Was he seriously trying to sacrifice himself?! Jessie shouted 'no' as loud as she could, but no one seemed to hear her. The cocoon of Darkness was already fading around her. The sights and sounds of the hurricane slowly came back to Jessica's senses; making her body shiver against the cold rain and letting her eyes focus on the scene. She was still hovering over the watery crater, about half a football field from the bare ocean floor. The two archangels were floating nearby, frozen in place with their mouths open and wide eyes glued to Jude – who was slowly being surrounded in Darkness.

Jess's first instinct was to fly over and help him get away. She thought that if she grabbed him and flew away fast enough, the Darkness wouldn't be able to take him. But when she flashed to Jude's side, she realized that the Darkness wasn't just surrounding him... it was going _inside_ of him. Dark smoke was pouring into his mouth like water disappearing down a drain. And he was just standing there! Letting it happen!

“Jude!” Jess cried, yanking on his arm, “Jude, no! Spit it out!”

While Jessica tried to help her cousin, she felt Michael and Lucifer grab hold of her shoulders. The teenager fought against her uncles to stay with her cousin.

“Let me go!” she said, shaking their hands away, “Jude! Stop!”

“He can't stop!” Lucifer spat behind her, “He gave the Darkness permission to have him. There's nothing we can do -”

“No!” Jessica screamed, feeling panic burst in her chest, “We can't let this happen! We can't -!”

“Lucifer, we must get away from this place before Darkness realizes the strength the nephilim has and tries to -”

“ _No!_ ” Jessica cried again, shaking her head as tears blurred her vision, “I won't leave him! _Jude!_ ” 

Between Michael and Lucifer who each had one of her shoulders, there was no way Jessica could fight back and stay. She knew that when they flew away, she had no choice but to go with them. And she only had a few precious moments in which to do something. Jess knew that she had to do _something_ , but what? As she stared helplessly at the horrifying scene of her cousin being filled with Darkness, Jessica caught sight of the grace glowing on his neck. If what Lucifer said was true, if they couldn't stop Jude from being taken, the very least Jess could do was remove Castiel's grace. It would be less ammunition for Darkness to use against them, right? In a split second decision, Jessica flew herself out of her uncle's reach long enough to flash over and yank the necklace off of Jude's neck.

As soon as Cas's grace was in Jess's hands again, Jude finally raised his head back up to look at her – but Jessica did not recognize her cousin at all. Jude's body was alight with his shining grace, but his eyes were no longer blue. They were solid black; darker than even uncle Crowley's and Clare's. They weren't demonic. No, they were emptier than that. There was no light in them. No hope. No happiness. No love. There was nothing in Jude's eyes. And it scared Jessica to the core.

The last thing Jess saw before Michael and Lucifer flew her away was Jude flexing his hands like he was unfamiliar with his own body, making the ocean sway and bow with the movement of his powerful fingers.

* * *

Sam could feel Gabriel bouncing up and down against his back as he ran through the charcoal trees. Even though his legs were the longest, it was hard for him to keep up with Dean and Cas as they sprinted toward some location that they hoped the portal would be in. Sam knew he was slower because of Gabriel's added weight, but he didn't say anything. None of them were in the mood for joking right now. Not even the trickster.

A war cry rang out somewhere in front of Sam and he looked up just in time to see Dean and Cas mow down a pack of angry creatures. Sam had no idea what kind of monsters they were until he noticed that Dean was deliberately cutting their heads off. And that their necks were painting the ground with pitch black goo.

“Leviathan?!” Gabriel panted into Sam's ear, “Wh – why does it always have to be Leviathan?”

Sam couldn't answer because he was too out of breath. The tall man only ducked next to a tree and waited for Dean and Cas to get rid of the Leviathan. With his hands full, Sam wasn't much help, but it seemed like Dean and Cas had it covered anyway. The two of them were a perfect team; fighting together almost like they were dancing. Dean slipped around Cas to stab on that tried to ambush the angel, while Cas stopped the swing of another that attempted to hit Dean. The two hunters circled each other, staying mostly back-to-back, using their handmade weapons to fend off the hungry creatures. In a matter of minutes, Dean and Cas were left standing together, covered in splatters of black goo, surrounded by at least twelve Leviathan corpses. Watching the two of them kick ass in Purgatory was certainly a sight to see.

“Remind me not to mess with them ever again,” Gabe whispered.

Sam smiled a little and made sure the coast was clear before dashing over to join his brother and brother-in-law with his husband in tow. Dean and Cas, both paused to catch their own breath before spinning in circles.

“This... this should be it,” Dean panted, “The portal should be here.”

“Yes,” Cas agreed, pointing toward a set of trees nearby, “I remember seeing it on this ridge.”

Sam gulped, feeling dread seep into his chest as he looked around the vacant area.

“What if it's not here anymore?” he guessed out loud.

“Oh my Dad, we're gonna _die_ here!” Gabriel squeaked in terror.

“No,” Cas snapped, firmly shaking his head toward his frantic brother, “Our Father put that portal here as a permanent escape route for all humans. It appears whenever one is close by -”

Cas's voice was interrupted by a distant, echoing whistle. The sound immediately drew the guys' attention toward the left, down the ridge of trees. About fifty yards away, Sam could see a very small person standing next to a swirling circle that hung in the air. They were waving excitedly and pointing toward the blue portal. The flowing velvet dress and long thick curls were a dead giveaway.

“ _Rowena!_ ” Sam gasped in surprise.

“She must have found the other side of the portal,” Dean breathed.

“ _Get yer bloody fannies over here at once!_ ” the witch shouted.

The guys were moving before her sentence finished echoing to them. Dean and Cas were in the lead again, with Sam and Gabriel right behind. Luckily, there were no other creatures in the area to keep them from getting there in one piece. Rowena looked more frazzled than Sam remembered, but he didn't have time to dwell on details. As soon as he was close enough to the portal, Dean shoved him through. Sam went toppling through the huge circle, falling down and taking Gabriel with him. The both of them shrieked a little bit as they fell through and landed on a solid surface.

A familiar smell of sawdust and metal filled Sam's nose as he raised his head to look around. At first, he wasn't sure if he was in the right place or not. Was this... Bobby's garage? How in the world did they end up in Bobby's garage? Was the portal some kind of teleportation device or something? Sam felt Gabriel sit up on his back.

“W – we're back!” he breathed, “Hallelujah! Where's my baby rabbit?!”

As Sam and Gabriel tried to stand up, they were knocked back to the floor by Dean, Cas, and Rowena, who all came stumbling through the portal together. The five of them slowly unscrambled from their dog pile, where Sam – of course – was stuck on the bottom. Cas was the quickest one to his feet. The blue-eyed angel nearly jumped up to grab Rowena's arm.

“The children. Where are the children?” he asked, voice high and worried.

Rowena's mouth dipped open and her eyebrows slid together, as if she was about to say something that she knew would be painful. But, instead, she gulped and pointed toward the door.

“Go to the house, love,” she almost whispered.

Sam knew from her soft tone of voice that something was wrong. The four Winchester fathers all glanced at each other worriedly before bounding for the garage door. Sam helped Gabriel hobble along behind Dean and Cas as they ventured outside – where they were met with an eery sight. The sky above was completely blacked out. There was no natural sunlight at all; no clouds, stars, moon, nothing. The only source of light was coming from the windows of Bobby's house, which lit up part of the salvage yard and allowed the guys to see the damage. Huge cracks had formed in the ground; some so big, that they had swallowed some of Bobby's junk cars. The guys had to jump over a few slits of open Earth just to get to the back door. It looked like some kind of darkened wasteland, here. What the hell happened?

None of them stopped to comment on the outside of Bobby's house. They were too eager to get inside and see their children. Again, Dean and Cas led the way into the kitchen and Sam followed with Gabriel at his side. Once he was in the colorful, brightly lit room, Sam scanned all the faces, looking for his daughter's blonde hair and beautiful eyes. Bobby and Crowley were there, standing by the counter in surprise and relief when they saw the boys come in. Jane and Oliver were there too, sitting at the table with Dickie. And Clarence was standing in the middle of the room, frozen on a devil's trap. They all looked happy to see the four Winchester men enter the room, but no one moved. They were all too stunned to say or do anything.

“Where are they?” Dean panted, still trying to catch his breath from all the running around, “Where are Jude and Jess?”

Sam's heart sank when no one answered. Oh God, where were they? They couldn't be missing, could they? They couldn't be hurt or lost or scared! Not Sam's baby girl! For a second, everyone just looked away sadly – until a huge gust of wind swept into the room, carrying three angels with it. Sam flinched and eyed the new arrivals, who were completely soaked from head to toe. He instantly identified the person on the far left as Lucifer, the other man in the middle was someone that he didn't recognize... but the person in front was someone he knew by heart.

“ _Jessica!_ ” Sam and Gabriel sang in unison.

Though she was soaking wet and shivering, as soon as Jessica laid her pretty eyes on her parents, she came running at them full force. Sam and Gabe both opened their arms to catch her and wrap her into a giant hug. Sam's eyes watered as he kissed his child's head and held her close to his own heart. He was so glad to hold her again and know that she was okay! Sam noticed that as they were holding her, Jessica was starting to sob. It wasn't a happy kind, but a very upset kind of cry.

“I – I'm so sorry!” she wept, her arms trembling around her parents, “I – I tried so hard! But I couldn't – I couldn't stop it!”

“Whoa, hey, it's okay,” Gabe soothed, even though they didn't know what she was talking about.

“Where is Jude?”

Sam looked up at the sound of Cas's worried voice. Dean and Cas were both staring at the other two guys in the room, Lucifer and the stranger in a denim jacket. But they weren't staring back. Their eyes were vacant, blankly staring off into other directions. They were pale too, like they had just witnessed something horrible. Everyone in the room was silently waiting to hear the answer, though they were sure that it wasn't going to be good. But Dean, Cas, and Clarence were the ones who were most desperate to know.

“ _Answer me!_ ” Castiel demanded.

The guy in the denim jacket slowly rolled his head back to finally look Cas in the eye. When he spoke, his voice was low and full of pity, almost like a doctor with bad news.

“He has become a vessel for Darkness.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Deep breath* Yep. Told ya it was awful. And I am so very, very sorry about all this terrible angst! Please forgive me! *borrows Sam's puppy eyes to be more persuasive* :( If Mike and Luci would have just waited 20 more minutes, the Winchester cavalry would have shown up to help. And if ol' uncle Lucifer didn't jump the gun and drop the kids as soon as he got to the ocean, Darkness wouldn't have recognized Gabriel's grace around Jess's neck, and thus everyone would have been okay and the spell could have commenced as planned... but life just isn't that fair sometimes. (Or maybe it's just me. Somehow, I've caught the angst writing bug and I just can't shake it off! Lol) XD For those of you who have read this whole story, you might remember the exact dream Jessica had about Darkness in this chapter. It happened around her tenth birthday, when the family was on their zoo vacation. Jude was the one who woke her up when she 'prayed' to him subconsciously, just as he was the one who saved her this time, too. (As Rumplestiltskin once said, “When you can see the future, irony is everywhere.”) ;) I know that this was probably difficult to read, but I promise that all will be well. I vow to take care of all our favorite characters. :) I really hate leaving you guys hanging on a heartbreaking part of the story like this, but I promise to write and post the next chapter as soon as I can! 
> 
> Like I said, I'm heading to NashCon this coming weekend. And if any of you are attending, I demand that you either message me on PM or Tumblr, so that we can make plans to meet in person and I can finally hug your adorable face! XD Again, I'm really sorry for the huge gap of time between this chapter and the next, but I promise that if you continue this story, it will all be worth it. :) Thank you guys sooo much, from the bottom of my heart, for staying with me this long! You guys are basically my family, and I'm grateful for all of you. :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	10. Chapter 10

For nearly a solid two minutes, Dean stopped breathing. His eyes were locked on the two people across the room in utter horror and he was barely aware of the heat draining from his face in the eery silence. No. It couldn't be true. Jude couldn't be a vessel. Not a vessel for Darkness. Dean's child couldn't be violated that way. He couldn't be in danger. The whole time they were separated, Dean had faith that his son would be okay, so Jude had to be okay. Jude couldn't be lost to Darkness. He just couldn't...

The first thing Dean felt after hearing the news was the weight of Cas's body leaning hard on his shoulder. The blue-eyed angel had slumped against Dean as if his knees were about to buckle. His head was slowly shaking back and forth and his eyes were huge. Cas's face was as white as a sheet beneath the dirt of Purgatory, and a look of dread and terror etched across his expression. The poor guy looked even more damaged than Dean. Cas's mouth dipped open, but he couldn't form words. The only sound in the room came from Jude's boyfriend Clarence, who was trapped on a rug near the stove.

“ _What?_ ” the blonde demon muttered breathlessly.

Dean didn't know whether it was from stress or tears, but his sight began to blur. And when Jessica started talking to answer Clarence, it sounded like her voice was traveling down a long tunnel. Dean was slowly zoning out and could barely comprehend what was being said.

“It was after me, but Jude told it to take him instead,” Jess's voice cried, “I'm sorry! I tried to stop him! I really did!”

“Shh, it's okay, Jess,” Sam soothed, even though his voice was high and shaky.

“Pffffft, _no it damn-well isn't_ ,” Lucifer snapped from the other side of the room, “Darkness has complete control over that twinkie's grace. We're all doomed now. Might as well tuck our heads between our knees and start kissing our own asses goodbye.”

Dean barely caught the last part of the devil's sentence because he was distracted by Cas. The blue-eyed angel regained strength in his buckling knees and was able to stand up and storm over to where Sam and Gabriel were consoling their daughter. Cas didn't say a word. He reached out and forcefully dug around in her hands, yanking the tiny glowing bottle on a chain away. He broke the cork off the top and released the light, opening his mouth to take his grace back into his vessel.

But there was a look on Cas's face that Dean recognized. From the way the angel's eyebrows were set and his fists were clinched, Dean could tell that Cas was about to do something very stupid. He was probably going to run his ass head-first into the clutches of Darkness. And while Dean was all for getting their son back in one piece, he knew that they wouldn't be able to do shit until they had a game plan. While the last of Cas's grace exited the tiny bottle and filled Cas's glowing body, Dean reached out to grab both of Cas's shoulders.

“Baby, no,” Dean breathed, “Cas, we've gotta -”

Air vanished from Dean's throat as he felt a gust of wind sweep him away. Cas suddenly teleported out of Bobby's kitchen – and accidentally took Dean with him. The man gasped and held on tight to his husband's broad shoulders, feeling his feet lift from the floor. For a few moments, it seemed like they were flying all over the place. Flashes of darkened scenery blurred around them like crazy, turning Dean's stomach sour with the violent flight. It was like Cas was searching the whole free world for their child; like fire blazing through a haystack to find a needle.

Even when they finally stopped moving, Dean noticed that his feet still weren't touching the ground. He had hooked both arms around Cas's neck and was holding onto the angel for dear life, but they were dangling high in the air. The sound and sensation of thick, swirling water entered Dean's awareness and he raised his head just enough to catch a glimpse of Cas glowing among a streaks of lightening mixed with heavy rain. It took Dean everything he had to hold his own body weight, because Cas was so focused on whatever he was looking at that he didn't bother holding Dean. A loud clap of thunder echoed across the sky overhead, but Cas didn't flinch. The glowing angel's face was soft against the rain, and his voice was loud but calm when he shouted into the dark.

“ _Jude?_ ”

Dean nearly gasped. Wait, Jude was here? He was in this storm?! Cas found him?! Though Dean was still dangling in midair with his angel, he tried his best to turn around and look behind him, hoping to finally see their son again. For a second, the only thing in his view was an empty void of black. Flashes of lightening briefly revealed parts of the scene and Dean thought that he might of caught a glimpse of Jude's jacket. But from what Dean could make out, he and Cas were hovering above an ocean – and staring at the single biggest wave Dean had ever laid eyes on. The massive wall of ocean water in front of them looked big enough to engulf the entire island of Manhattan in one swoop. The tip top seemed to be cresting near the stormy clouds miles overhead. Holy shit! That was a giant wave! _And it was curling toward Dean and Cas!_

Just as the colossal tidal wave began to dip toward them, Dean felt himself being yanked through the air again. This time, he closed his eyes and braced himself; burying his face into the center of Cas's chest and tightening both arms around the angel's shoulders. He was almost sure that they wouldn't be able to outrun that wave. But fortunately, Dean soon felt a solid surface under his feet again. He inhaled deeply and finally raised his head to see that they were back inside Bobby's kitchen with the rest of their family – where the stranger in the denim jacket was clutching Cas with both hands. Dean figured that he must have been responsible for bringing Dean and Cas back to Bobby's, because he was clearly an angel.

“ _Have you lost your very sanity, Castiel?!_ ” the guy asked.

Dean barely had time to unwind his arms from Cas and stumble back before Cas lunged forward to pin the other angel against the wall. The celestial force of the impact was enough to leave a sizable dent in Bobby's wall and knock a few pictures down.

“ _Hoc fecistis_ ,” Cas growled, “ _Hoc est vestrum erit flagitium!_ ”

“ _Satis!_ ” the guy yelled back.

He tossed Cas's hands away like they were much weaker than his own. The other angel was obviously a hell of a lot stronger than Cas somehow, but being shoved away didn't end Cas's anger. If anything, it only seemed to fuel it. Dean stood by helplessly as he watched his husband spew a string of celestial hatred toward the strangers in the room.

“Stop, Castiel!” the guy in the denim jacket eventually barked, “Stop allowing your emotions to dictate your actions! Look, you nearly ended Dean's life!”

When the guy pointed at Dean and everyone's eyes shot to him, he tried his best to look calm and composed. But it was hard to do when he was drenched from head to toe and shaking violently from being dangled in midair. Luckily, his pitiful appearance seemed to finally snap Cas out of his rage. His bright glow dimmed and he blinked repeatedly at Dean with deep blue eyes. There was an apology raising up in his expression, but Dean preemptively shook his head to dismiss it. Cas didn't need to apologize for flying off like that. Hell, if Dean was able to fly, he would have gone straight for Jude too.

Now that they were back in Bobby's house, Dean took a moment to breathe and look around. The first thing he noticed was that Clarence was free from the rug. Jessica had broken the symbol and let him out, and now he was pacing the floors with his hands on his head and tears in his eyes. Jane and Oliver Thompson were both huddled together at the kitchen table like a couple of terrified children. Gabriel was standing on his own now, having taken his grace back from Jess. His leg was healed and his face was clean, but pain was still written on his face. Sammy was lingering close to Gabe's side and casting suspicious glances at Lucifer, who was eying them both down from across the room. A crowd of familiar faces surrounded Dean, but Jude was gone. And for a second, Dean thought that he was dreaming. This couldn't actually be happening. Did he fall asleep in Purgatory? Was this a nightmare? This had to be a bad dream...

“What are we going to do?” someone shouted.

“I already told you, there's nothing to do. It's too late,” Lucifer growled, “The damn kid's too powerful now. We can't stop it.”

“There's gotta be a way we can pull Darkness out of Jude,” Sam spoke up, “Right, Gabe?”

“Well, he's part angel,” Gabe said, “so we might be able to trap him in a ring of holy fire and -”

“No! That might kill him!” Jessica gasped.

“No, it'll only weaken him, because he's a nephilim,” the guy in the denim jacket argued.

“Good. Then we should try it,” Crowley agreed.

“Hell no! It's too dangerous! We're not going to risk Jude's life like that!” Clarence firmly spat.

“We don't have a lot of options, kid,” Gabriel grumbled.

“Anybody else got any ideas?” Bobby shouted into the fast-paced conversation.

Dean blinked around in the silence, hoping that someone would be able to provide a better course of action regarding the safety of his son. But no one else seemed to know what to do. Gabriel's idea of holy fire was virtually the only plan they had right now. And while it seemed dangerous, Dean hoped that it would do the trick. If they could at least trap Jude and Darkness in one spot, they could work on separating them afterward.

“Holy fire it is,” Gabe confirmed, turning to Bobby, “Singer? You got any oil left?”

Bobby immediately dashed into the study and started rummaging through a few cabinet drawers. In the meantime, Dean tried to get a hold of himself. He couldn't think straight and his whole body was shaking from the aftermath of flying through a hurricane. After a few breaths, he was able to stand up fully and walk back over to his husband while everyone discussed the plan. When Bobby retrieved a jug of oil, he quickly walked it over to hand it to Gabe.

“Where are we gonna do this?” Sam asked.

“Darkness has created a storm off the coast of Oregon,” the guy in the jacket said, “To draw the nephilim into the circle, our best chance is to get as close as we can to the ocean.”

“Oregon, here we come,” Gabriel said, holding out his arm to Sam and Jess, “Let's go.”

As soon as Sam and Jess grabbed on to Gabe's arm, the three of them disappeared from the room. Lucifer and the guy in the denim jacket went next. And Dean barely had time to grab onto Cas's coat before the angel took off too. Again, the inertia of flying made Dean sick to his stomach, but he braced for the flight anyway. It wasn't until his feet were on solid ground again that he noticed Clarence was standing next to him. The teenage demon had reached out and grabbed his shoulder to come along.

Now, the eight of them were standing on a wet, darkened beach. The only way Dean knew that he was on the shore was because of the sound of the waves and the smell of salt. The sky was void of all light, making it hard to see anything at all. Dean blinked rapidly as he listened to the footsteps rushing in the sand around him. It sounded like everyone was running to get into some kind of position.

“This is stupid,” Lucifer's voice spat, “All of you are going to die.”

“Why are you even here?!” Sam yelled, sounding bitter and angry.

“To watch. Duh,” the devil hummed.

“Don't make me smite you, asshole,” Gabriel hissed.

“Oooh, I'd like to see you try, _brother_ ,” Lucifer growled back.

“Give me that!”

Dean gasped a little at the sound of Cas's voice. Apparently, he was sick of listening to everyone argue. He ripped the jug out of Gabe's hand and started pouring a circle on the beach himself. Dean's heart hammered in his chest as he watched his husband create a trap for their child. God, he hoped that this would work. He hoped that Jude would be safe inside the ring of fire, because if he stepped out of it, it might kill him. And Dean couldn't even think about something like that happening to his child.

“How the hell are we supposed to get him here?” Clarence asked.

“ _Jude!_ ” Cas suddenly called toward the sky, his voice deep and cracking, “ _Jude!_ ”

“That's not going to work, Castiel. Jude is a vessel, now. Only Darkness will respond,” the denim jacket guy said.

“I've got this,” Gabriel promised.

The blonde archangel popped into the middle of the circle and let himself glow. The golden light was enough to mimic a small sun, brightening the entire beach and casting a warm shine on the receding ocean water in front of him. When he was all lit up, Gabriel shouted a few words in Enochian that Dean didn't understand.

While everyone waited and watched the skies for Jude to arrive, Dean glanced around. Cas was standing worriedly next to him, fidgeting with his fingers and swaying nervously. Sam and Jessica were hugging each other near Gabriel, both searching the dark for Jude. And Clarence was standing starkly next to Dean with his fists drawn tight and his eyes glistening. The kid was obviously just as scared and worried as the rest of them, and seeing his tough persona vanish made Dean feel helpless. If this didn't work, he didn't know what they were going to do...

A flash of lightening streaked across the sky – and Jude was suddenly standing among them.

But it wasn't really Jude. A single glance at this face was enough to remind Dean of that. His baby blue eyes – the same he had gotten from his Papa – were jet black. There was no white to them at all. No expression on his face, either. No joy or hope of any kind. Jude looked like a walking corpse; like there was no life in his body. And it made vomit rise in Dean's throat. The sight of his child looking so dead honestly made Dean feel like puking, but he held his ground. _Jude is still in there somewhere_ , he assured himself, _Be strong for your kid, Dean_.

Jude's arrival seemed to startle everyone. No one spoke or moved at first. They were too busy letting the horrific sight of him sink in that they didn't act. Luckily, Gabriel was able to shake it off first. The glowing archangel popped out of the circle and tossed down a lighter, making flames spread up all around Jude. The fence of holy fire was almost as tall as he was. Dean let out a breath of relief. At least Jude was safe, now. He might have been trapped, but at least he wasn't going anywhere. Cas stepped close to the wall of fire and raised his hand to wave.

“Son?” he called, sounding so full of anticipation.

At first, Jude only turned around slowly, as if he was taking in his surroundings. His face remained expressionless, though; eerily blank in the glow of the fire. When his head raised to look at Cas with those empty eyes, his feet started moving forward. The closer he moved to the fence of flames, the more Dean's heart thumped in his chest. No, he was getting so close to the fire! If he passed through, he could die!

“No, Jude,” Cas breathed, “No, don't walk through the fire -”

But against Cas's adamant warnings, Jude boldly stepped into the high flames. Shockingly, the heated plasma seemed to bend around him. The flames brushed against his clothes and skin, but didn't catch. Jude was able to walk through holy fire unharmed... and now, he was standing directly in front of his parents, who were too stunned to talk. Shit. The holy oil didn't work. It wouldn't hold Darkness, which meant they couldn't stop it from taking advantage of Jude. Even though their son was possessed by a dark entity, it didn't stop Cas from inching forward and reaching out to touch Jude's face.

“Jude?” the blue-eyed angel whispered softly.

For a second, Jude just stood there and let Cas touch him. But then, his arm suddenly raised up and the light of holy fire burned out behind them, leaving the beach in almost total darkness again. Dean heard a few gasps and stumbling noises, as if people were being thrown around. But he couldn't see what was happening. He assumed that Jude – that _Darkness_ – was causing some sort of commotion, but he couldn't see to help.

“Jay!” Clarence's voice shouted, “You've gotta wake up, man!”

Dean stepped in the direction of Clarence's voice and reached out to help him. But the only thing Dean could feel was the shifting of wet sand beneath his boots and the chill of cold in the air. A few shouts and grunts echoed around him, but dammit, he couldn't see anything! What was happening? Where was everyone? Was Cas okay? Was Jude okay? After hearing one of Jessica's squeaks, Dean pivoted in her direction – but he was caught by a strong hand.

A firm, unforgiving fist clamped down around Dean's neck and lifted him into the air. Dean tried to gasp as he desperately kicked his feet. The urge to see his captor fueled his efforts to find some source of light. Dean instantly dug around in his pockets until he found a lighter and flicked it on – which revealed his son's blank face. The sight of Jude's empty eyes made Dean gasp a little more forcefully and turned his stomach again, but he knew he had to stay strong. He knew he had to focus and help Jude kick the Darkness out of his body.

“J – Jude,” Dean huffed, bringing the lighter close to his own face, “Look. It's me. It's Dad. I'm right here, buddy.”

Though Jude stopped clamping down on Dean's throat, he didn't release him. Jude had turned into a statue on the beach. Was it working? Could Jude even hear him? The lack of oxygen was starting to make Dean lightheaded.

“Little man...” Dean squeaked, trying hard to hold onto consciousness, “... Son...”

Still, Jude didn't move. He only held Dean high off the ground and stared up at him. But slowly, and very cautiously, Jude slowly pulled Dean closer to his own face. And when his mouth opened for the first time, Dean hoped that he would hear his son's voice... But it was a low growl of Darkness instead.

“There is no son here,” Jude barked.

After that, Jude physically tossed Dean away, making him soar through the air and land hard on a nearby log of drift wood. Dean shouted in pain, feeling some of his ribs snap inside his chest. He curled himself into a ball in the wet sand and tried to breathe. The lighter had flown out of his hand and everything was dark again; so dark that he couldn't see anything around him. But he did hear the shifting of sand, and could feel the ground starting to move. A brief streak of lightening revealed Jude hovering high in the air with his hands toward the beach, where he was creating a giant sink hole. Sand was draining toward the center of the holy oil circle like an hour glass running out of time. And everyone on the beach was getting pulled inside. Dean clung to the log he was tossed on, trying to keep himself from falling into the hole of disappearing sand. There was only one thing he knew to do in a situation as bleak as this.

“Cas!” he cried, hoping that his husband was unharmed.

Dean caught sight of Gabriel and the other angels disappearing from the beach in flashes of light, like they were flying away. And Cas suddenly appeared in front of Dean. The man knew it was his husband, because the soft hands that took hold of him couldn't belong to anyone else. Before Dean knew it, he was sitting on the floor of Bobby's study, between the couch and a hospital bed. He huffed a few breaths and looked around in desperation, trying to get a grip on his new surroundings. In the kitchen doorway, Sam, Gabe, Jessica, and Clarence were all huddled together with pale faces and open mouths. The other two angels, Lucifer and who Dean guessed was Michael, were loitering silently near the other side of the hospital bed, covered in sand. But Cas was kneeling in front of Dean with a worried look. The angel reached out and touched the man's chest, healing his broken ribs with a hint of his grace. Dean's body was healed in an instant, but he was still in a tremendous amount of pain.

Dean and Cas finally met eyes after he was healed, and looking into Cas's beautiful blue eyes – and knowing that Jude's were no longer that perfect shade – immediately turned on the water works. Son of a bitch. Their son was a vessel for Darkness. How were they going to save him? A loud sob came from Cas's throat and he laid himself against Dean's chest, clinging to him with shaky hands. Dean held his husband close, but they never said a word. There was nothing they could say. They already knew about the mutual feelings of helplessness and pain in each others' hearts.

Their son was trapped in his own body, and there was nothing they could do.

* * *

Jude could feel the strength and bravery from Clare's courage potion surging in his veins when he went with Jessie and his uncles to go and fight the Darkness. For the first time in his life, he felt as heroic as Superman. The way Jude saw it, Darkness was another villain to get rid of. It wasn't that big of a deal. At least, until it started to take Jessie...

Seeing his cousin get eaten alive by Darkness restored Jude's stable mentality. So what, if he wasn't afraid to fly anymore? Who cared if he was as strong as Superman? If his cousin was being hurt, Jude didn't want it. He knew that the best and bravest thing to do was to go in her place. Darkness seemed really set on having Jessie, but Jude hoped that he would be a suitable replacement. After all, they were both half angels. Jude was actually glad when the Darkness left Jessie alone and started to come after him.

But Jude never realized how awful it was going to be.

At first, he thought that Darkness had taken him somewhere else. It was like space without the stars; black on every side. It wasn't until Jude noticed that he couldn't feel his own body that he realized that he must have been asleep. Maybe Darkness had put him in a coma or something. The more Jude tried to wake up, the heavier the sheet of Darkness became. It wasn't long before Jude started to feel really bad. Sad and painful emotions started to leak into his soul somehow, and he found himself thinking horrible thoughts.

_Why are you alive?_

This question seemed to be the main focus. But Jude could tell that he wasn't the one asking it. It was coming from somewhere else... from whoever was occupying his mind with him. But since he couldn't find a very fitting answer, Jude started to ponder the idea too. Huh. Why _was_ he alive? What was his reason for being there? And why couldn't he feel his body? Was he asleep? Or was he sleep walking? It felt like his body was moving, but he wasn't in control of it.

_You need to die._

Jude thought about that statement for a while. Whoever was filling his head with these ideas seemed to have a good point. Maybe Jude did need to die. Maybe it would be easier to just hand himself over instead of fighting with the voice in his head. That voice was really mean and Jude didn't like fighting anyway. Besides, what reasons did he have to stay alive?

That was when he heard a familiar voice. It was faint and sincere, like a gentle lullaby. Jude tried his best to wake up; to regain control of himself so that he could see whoever was speaking. But he couldn't fight the heavy Darkness over him. He was too weak.

“Buddy... Little man... Son...”

Jude was definitely able to hear those words. He knew that voice. It was his dad's voice. But that couldn't be right. Dad was stuck in Purgatory with Papa and his uncles. They were gone. And Jude would probably never see them again. Not as long as this Darkness kept him in a coma.

“There is no son here.”

Jude sulked back into the far reaches of his mind. As terrible as it seemed, he knew Darkness was right. There was no son here. Jude couldn't be a good son for his parents anymore. He wasn't Superman. He wasn't a Jaybird. Jude couldn't be anything. Because he was nothing.

But as much as he wanted to give up, Jude knew that he couldn't. He had to keep fighting, because his family needed him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you guys! I missed all of you! *hugs you tight* :D NashCon was awesome and it was even more amazing to meet some of you in person! Thank you so much for making my life that much more worth living! :) (Btw, I may or may not have forced Richard Speight Jr to hold a moose for a photo op. And did an air-guitar in front of Jensen Ackles as he was signing my poster... *ahem* Yeah. Crazy weekend. Lol!) XD Anyways, I'm really sorry that this chapter wasn't as long as usual, but hopefully its messages still came through strongly. ;) The 'Enochian' that Cas and Michael argued in earlier was actually Latin (because Enochian translators wouldn't work with me. Lol) Basically, Cas said: “You did this, This is your fault!” and Michael replied with “Enough!” Sorry for the lack of Enochian continuity, but I hope it doesn't distract from the story too much. Also, some of you probably noticed already, but I'll let you in on a little secret: I sort of turned the Darkness character into one big giant metaphor for depression. Since it is something that I, and many of us in the fandom, struggle with, I figured this would be a great opportunity to 'introduce' it into a story and basically deal with it. And you know what? I'm happy to say that we are going to join Jude in facing Darkness together. We can do it! Because we are not alone! ;) Thank you guys soooo much for patiently waiting for this week's chapter! I hope it was worth the wait. I'm very grateful to have you all as readers! :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Other than the devastating pain throbbing in his heart, Castiel was barely aware of anything else. He had no idea how long he sat on the floor of Robert Singer's study and wept into the arms of his husband. The image of his beloved son being ravaged by Darkness was plastered on every corner of his mind. Jude, Castiel and Dean's precious baby boy, was no longer himself. His body was being abused by a deadly entity that had been plotting the Earth's demise since before Castiel was even spoken into existence. It was as though Cas's greatest fear was realized. Just as it occurred in his nightmare – Jude had been snatched away from Castiel and there was virtually nothing the angel could do to get him back.

“What happened?”

Castiel heard Bobby's voice, but was too distraught to comprehend the words. The angel merely clung to the front of Dean's sand-covered shirt and attempted to calm himself.

“We took a trip to the beach and built sandcastles,” Lucifer hummed sarcastically with a smile, “The hell do you think happened? That nephilim brat nearly took us down.”

“It wasn't Jude,” Jessica's voice snapped from the other side of the room, “Jude would never hurt a fly. It was that thing inside him.”

“Darkness,” Michael offered quietly.

“We have to get it out,” Clarence stated firmly, “Right now. As fast as we can.”

Lucifer chuckled hardily on the other side of the study. Castiel finally raised his head and looked over the hospital bed in an attempt to see what caused Lucifer's humorous reaction. There was nothing funny about Clarence's honest suggestion, yet the devil was laughing as if it were a joke. His reaction seemed to trigger anger in Clarence and Castiel, as well as Dean and Michael. The eldest archangel turned to glare daggers into his laughing brother.

“Lucifer, you are in a room with both Winchesters, three of your kin, and an emotionally compromised nephilim, all of which care deeply for the same being that you are insulting. And while your death would be a tremendous weight off my shoulders, I feel I must remind you, yet again, to _think_ before you _speak_ ,” Michael barked.

Lucifer continued to laugh for a moment, covering his mouth and looking around the room as if he was enjoying himself. But he eventually quieted down once Dean and Castiel rose to their feet and stood next to each other to glare at him in unison.

“Oh, my death isn't the only one coming,” Lucifer purred, allowing his scarlet grace to twinkle in his eyes as he glanced among his company, “We're all dead. You know it too, Mike. Now that it has nephilim grace, Darkness is going to plow through us like a wrecking ball.”

“No. I refuse to believe that horseshit,” Clarence argued, “Everything has a weakness, and we're gonna find it's weakness and -”

“ _We_ were Darkness's only weakness,” Michael nodded, gesturing between himself, Lucifer, and Gabriel, “but now that it has attached itself to something much stronger than us, there is nothing left to keep it in check -”

“Stronger than you?” Dean repeated, stepping forward with his mouth open and emerald eyes wide, “You mean, Jude is – is stronger than _you_?”

Castiel also looked across Adam's hospital bed to search his eldest brother's face. Though it seemed like Michael was deeply disturbed by the notion, the most ancient and powerful archangel in existence nodded firmly in defeat.

“Yes,” he admitted, “Very much.”

Castiel's sight drifted to his husband next to him, where they shared an equal gaze of awe. Hearing that their own son – the same boy that had started out as nothing more than a helpless fetus inside of Castiel's grace – was stronger than God's first, handmade archangel was a stunning thing to comprehend. Castiel was mostly proud to learn that Jude was powerful enough to put archangels in their place. But it also terrified him to the core. If Jude's grace truly possessed that much raw, untamed power, Darkness could use it to wipe away the entire galaxy with ease. The whole of God's divine creation would be lost. Earth, Heaven, Hell, all of it would be gone.

And judging by the tremors that rocked Bobby's Singer's house every few seconds, it wouldn't take Darkness long at all to complete the job.

“Well, what's the plan?” Sam asked from the doorway, his eyes gravitating to his older brother, “How do we stop it?”

“Ugh, you damn Winchesters just don't know when to give up, do you?” Lucifer hissed, “Can't you see it's pointless?”

“It's not pointless!” Clarence yelled, briefly hitting his fist against Bobby's bookshelf, “We're going to get Jude back if it kills us all!”

“Well, don't worry. You'll get what you wish for. Because it _will_ kill you,” Lucifer hummed.

“Alright, that's enough,” Bobby hobbled in to say, tipping his hat up so that he could fully observe everyone in his home, “Look, I dunno about y'all, but I've been doin' some thinkin', and I'm pretty sure we won't be able to finish the job ourselves. It's time to call in the big guns.”

“Big guns?” Gabriel scoffed, “Singer, all of Heaven's living archangels are standing right in front of you! We're the whole arsenal!”

“Nope,” Bobby denied, turning to bring his gray eyes toward Castiel and Dean, “I mean the _big_ one...”

From the look on Bobby's face alone, Castiel was able to decipher his meaning. God. The only being strong enough to free Jude and put an end to this insane chaos was God. The angels' father was their only chance of succeeding... The only problem was that no one had seen or heard from him since the day of everyone's wedding.

“Who?” Clarence asked, sounding lost, “Who's the big gun?!”

“ _God_ ,” Dean breathed in reply.

“I believe he prefers to be called 'Chuck' now,” Crowley added smoothly.

Another loud howl of laughter came from Lucifer's side of the room. The devil scoffed and shook his head, pretending to dramatically wipe away a tear of humor from his eye.

“Oh, you guys are a riot,” he grinned, “You really think dear-old-Dad will help you? The old man wouldn't even get off the shitter during the freaking _apocalypse_ , what makes you think he gives a rat's ass about you now?”

“Because he's been back before, okay?” Gabriel snipped, his golden eyes narrowed toward Lucifer as he raised Sam's hand and his own, “See these wedding rings? We exchanged them right in front of him.”

“Bullshit,” Lucifer spat, his eyes flaring vibrant red again.

“He did it for all of us,” Bobby added, clearly unafraid of the devil's spiking rage, “He stood in my junkyard and watched us all say vows -”

A red flash zoomed through the study, and Lucifer was suddenly pinning Bobby to the wall with his forearm. He pressed hard into the old man's chest and glared at him, leaning forward to growl angrily.

“ _Lying is a sin, Robert Singer_ ,” the devil hissed, “My Father would sooner kill entire continents of pathetic mortals that he created with his own two hands than to officiate a damn wedding for the likes of you.”

As everyone converged toward Bobby to free him from Lucifer's grasp, Gabriel flew over to get there first. His hands lit with golden grace as he reached out to yank Lucifer away from Bobby. The old man coughed and rubbed his own chest as Gabriel stood defensively between him and the devil.

“He's not lying!” Gabriel shouted, “Dad was here, on Earth, with us. Just because it pisses you off, it doesn't make it untrue. Pout all you want, Luci, it doesn't change the fact that Dad came back for us. And not you.”

Lucifer seethed toward Gabriel for a few extra moments, his eyes glowing brighter and fists clenching harder. Castiel was ready to flash over and defend Gabriel from Lucifer's wrath if he needed to. But, luckily, the devil slowly spun to face Michael instead. The two eldest archangels met eyes and Cas could tell that Lucifer was hoping for back up from his brother.

“Do you believe this shit, Mike?!” Lucifer demanded.

Castiel was almost certain that Michael was feeling the same type of betrayal that Lucifer was experiencing. After all, he, too, was left in the cage with Lucifer for quite some time. Everyone was expecting Michael to side with Lucifer in the argument about God. But, shockingly, a hint of calm surrender was written on Michael's face. His hand lifted to rest on the rail of Adam's hospital bed and he nodded slowly.

“Yes. I do,” he admitted quietly.

Lucifer's hands went limp at his sides and he looked partially devastated. He, like everyone else, must have assumed that Michael would join his side. Castiel eyed his eldest brother from a distance, wondering what had caused him to behave in such an understanding way. Michael must have known that Lucifer would demand an explanation, so he quickly provided one.

“Come now, Lucifer, you already know the answer to this riddle,” Michael murmured, “Even in the early days between Eden and Egypt, our Father only appeared to those who believed in him. Those who trusted and cared for him. Do you really think he would choose to appear before those of us who have caused such devastation and sin to his perfect Creation?”

“ _It's not perfect!_ ” Lucifer shouted.

“And neither are we,” Michael agreed gently, “We are corrupted and flawed, possibly beyond saving... but he will always come to those who call for him. He will appear and lend aid to those who look for the light he provides, because he cares for them.”

“ _Jude_.”

Castiel turned to look at Dean beside him, who had practically croaked their son's name. Dean's face was very pale, lips dry and voice hollow. But his eyes were full of realization. He blinked vacantly for a moment, but then turned his gaze toward Michael.

“J – Jude made God come back. When he was three,” Dean admitted, “I mean, he – he kept seeing Chuck everywhere. I thought he had an imaginary friend or something, but... Then Chuck actually appeared in the motel room and talked to us... If Jude could do it then, maybe he can do it now.”

A rush of hope surged through Castiel's heart as he stared wondrously at his husband.

“ _Yes_ ,” the angel breathed, reaching over to lovingly cling to Dean's arm, “Yes, Jude has always had a special relationship with God. He can call on him for help to defeat the Darkness.”

“What the hell is wrong with you people?!” Lucifer groaned, shifting around to glare at anyone close to him, especially Dean and Castiel, “Are you gonna start singing 'Kumbaya'?! That kid is nothing but a freaking _vessel_! Darkness might have his stupid face, but it is _not your kid_! It probably dissolved his soul already! There is no saving him! _He's already dead!_ ”

The sound of Lucifer's merciless taunt cut into Castiel's heart like a butcher's knife. The seraph was momentarily frozen in grief and fear a few feet from the devil, eyes beginning to glisten on their own. No. Jude was not dead. He couldn't be dead. Jude was Castiel's baby; his son, his purpose for living. And he had to be alive.

Of all the people in the room, Clarence was the first to move. The blonde demon bolted toward Lucifer, grabbed the front of his shirt with one fist, and began punching him with the other. It was such a quick action that Lucifer was too surprised to respond for the first two hits. Clarence's voice rang out with a cry of ' _He's not dead!_ ' But then, as expected, Lucifer's entire vessel glowed red in retaliation. The devil tossed the young demon away as if he were a small pebble, making him crash into the opposite wall of Bobby's study and crumble to the floor.

Luckily, Clarence was able to climb back up and face Lucifer with his demonic aura. And with Lucifer's grace exposed, Michael, Gabriel, and Castiel soon followed suit. The angels knew that Lucifer was unpredictable when agitated, and since they were in a room filled with their loved ones, a defensive stance was necessary. Once the initial shock had worn off, Castiel could feel fury flowing through his own veins. Archangel or not, Lucifer was in dangerous territory when it came to speaking ill of Castiel's beloved child.

“ _Ol noromi io-iad_ ,” Cas asserted boldly.

At first, as Lucifer and Castiel speared each other with their eyes, it seemed as though the devil was ready to attack. He lowered himself, bent his knees, and growled like an animal. But Castiel held his ground – as did the other people around him. Gabriel, Michael, and even Jessica were all aglow with grace, ready to protect and defend Castiel, Dean, and Clarence. The realization that so many people were joined against him must have been too much for Lucifer to handle, because his stance soon shifted from offense to defense. He glared around at all the faces pointed toward him, lingering on Castiel's the longest.

“Fine. You want to run headfirst into your own death? Be my guest,” Lucifer muttered, “I choose to live while I can.”

With a gust of wings, Lucifer fled Bobby's house, leaving everyone to glare toward a vacant space. Once Lucifer and his overwhelming presence was gone, the room grew dim. The other angels sheathed their graces and relaxed their poses, sinking into a solemn state. Unfortunately, with Lucifer out of the picture, Castiel knew that their chances of rescuing Jude would be even slimmer. But dwindling numbers and mounting danger aside, Dean's earlier suggestion had given Castiel hope. For a majority of his celestial existence, Castiel had unwavering faith in his heavenly Father. And now it was more important than ever for that faith to be restored properly.

With a brief exhale, Castiel soon tumbled to his knees and knelt by Adam's hospital bed. Though his body was trembling and anxiety was threatening to plague his mind, Cas brought his own hands together and rested his forehead on them.

“Father,” he began to pray, “Please...”

* * *

_You need to die._

Jude was so sick of hearing that phrase. He heard something like that every few minutes and it was really starting to wear him out. That voice in his head – that ugly, mean, rude voice that wouldn't shut up – it kept saying such hurtful things. But why? Why was it talking to him? Why did it want him to end his own life?

_This body belongs to me now. You have no place here. Leave._

' _I don't want to_ ,' Jude mentally argued.

Of course, Jude still couldn't feel most of his body, so he had no idea if he was actually talking. It was like a crazy phenomenon where he was stuck in his own mind, having a subconscious conversation with a ghost inhabiting his body. It was weird and he didn't like it at all. Where was everyone else? Was Jessie safe? Did Michael and Lucifer get her to safety? Jude hoped so, but didn't know for sure. Man, he felt like he was sleep walking and couldn't wake up.

_There is no reason for you to be alive._

' _Stop saying that_ ,' Jude murmured into the back of his head.

Ugh, he hated this! Jude hated being trapped with that thing! It was so unbelievably cruel! How could something so vile crawl into someone's mind and tell them to die like that? Jude didn't want to die. He just wanted to see his family again. He wanted to hug his parents and kiss Clarence. Things couldn't stay like this forever. Jude couldn't be stuck with his painful, ruthless voice for eternity... could he?

_It's easier to give up. No more suffering. No more fighting. Just give up. Give. Up._

Jude could sense some type of heavy sheet attempting to cloud over his barely conscious soul. Like the dark voice was attempting to smother him from the inside. And the more it covered him... the more Jude was forced to endure memories of his past that haunted him. Not being able to fly like a real angel was the one that stuck out the most. He felt bad for not being able to live up to everyone's expectations of being a good flier, because Papa was so good. Jude always let everyone down or made things worse. Like that time he accidentally broke the polar bear exhibit at the zoo and ruined everyone's vacation. Or when he got himself and uncle Gabe kidnapped by that angel trap at the park. Or the look of utter heartbreak on Clarence's handsome face when Jude trapped him in Bobby's kitchen. It was all Jude's fault. All of it.

_Give up._

After awhile, Jude started to forget why he was fighting in the first place. He was nearly convinced that Darkness was right. Giving up would be so easy. Fighting was so much harder. It took so much of his energy and willpower to keep fighting. Wouldn't it be easier to just let the Darkness take him? Besides, who would notice if he was gone? Who would care if he wasn't alive anymore? Things would probably be better if he wasn't around. He would never disappoint anyone else ever again. He couldn't hurt anyone either. Jude was sure that the world would be a better place without him... until he heard a familiar voice.

“ _Jude?_ ” Jessie's soft whisper echoed to him like an underwater lullaby, “ _Can you hear me?_ ”

Jude almost couldn't believe it. That wasn't Darkness talking. That was _Jessie's_ voice! She was praying to him! Although the fog of Darkness was still heavy over his soul, Jude attempted to pray back.

' _... Jessie?_ ' he asked.

* * *

Jessica was barely aware that her parents were shifting her toward the kitchen table. She was in such a state of shock and pain that she couldn't quite comprehend the movement until she was seated in a chair. With the weight off her feet, Jessica finally blinked for the first time in a while and looked around. Papa was hovering behind her back with both hands on her shoulders, Dad was kneeling near the floor in front of her seat, and Oliver had scooted closer to her though his hand was still on top of his mom's shoulder nearby. Jessica's family was surrounding her in a cloud of love – but the notion also made her feel terrible, because she knew that Jude wasn't so lucky.

And it was all her fault.

If Jessica hadn't called for him, Jude wouldn't have tried to sacrifice himself. He would have been able to come back with their uncles and see his parents again. But now, Jude was a vessel for Darkness itself. He was trapped in his own body, forced to destroy the world with his own grace, and from everything Jessica just heard in the study, it sounded like there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Through the doorway, Jess could still see her uncle Cas kneeling on the floor and speedily praying at Adam's bedside. Dean had joined him on the floor and was rubbing Cas's back, but his eyes were vacant. He was too lost in his own emotions to really help Cas pray. Michael was standing like a protective beacon on the other side of Adam's bed, staring down at the unconscious guy with a pitiful look from above. Poor Clarence was a frantic mess, demanding answers and courses of action from Bobby, Crowley, and Rowena, but they told him that there was no spell strong enough to help. Everyone was out of options. And with Lucifer gone, their numbers were shrinking too. Jude's rescue party didn't have anything to go on – except the hope that grandpa Chuck might help.

“Do you think he'll come, Gabe?” Dad asked, staring up at Papa from his kneeling position.

“I don't know,” Papa admitted soberly with his eyes on the floor, “I didn't think he would ever show up after I left home, but I was wrong. Hopefully, I'll be wrong again.”

Dad nodded in response, just as another earthquake shook the house. Jessica closed her eyes and braced her hands on the table as the whole place rattled, wishing that she could do something to stop it. The tremors were getting longer and more violent, making it seem as though the entire Earth would cave into itself at any moment. With Jude's grace, Darkness could demolish everything in no time flat. And the thought made Jessica sick to her stomach. She hated this! Why didn't she see this coming?! Why didn't she try to stop this before it started?!

“Sam?” uncle Dean called from the study.

Jessica opened her eyes long enough to see her Dad get up and carefully journey into the study with Dean. The two of them talked quietly and Jessica could tell that uncle Dean's heart wasn't in his words. He was speaking and moving like a zombie, but after everything that had happened to poor Jude, it was understandable. With Dad in the study, Papa came around in front of Jessica to take his place. Pop knelt down in front of her and gently took both of her hands with his own. Though his golden eyes were bright, his smile was dim.

“Hey, kiddo,” he murmured, tone much less joyful than Jess remembered, “How are you holding up?”

Jessica couldn't bring herself to talk. She only shook her head and bit her lip to hold back tears. She wasn't holding up very well at all and Papa could tell. He nodded a few times, making his shaggy blonde hair fall around his face, and tried his best to console her.

“I'm glad you're okay, you know,” he mentioned, “There wasn't a second that passed by in Purgatory that I didn't think about you, baby rabbit. I was so worried that you were hurt. And now that I'm back here, I couldn't be more proud of you.”

A tear slipped from the corner of Jess's eye. How could Papa be so proud of her when Jude's terrible situation was all her fault?

“I did this,” she finally breathed, “I have to make it right. I have to help Jude... Is he still alive, Papa? Is he still in there?”

“Yes,” Papa answered immediately, his voice full of certainty, “It might not seem like it from the outside, but Jude is still in there, sweetheart. He's alive and he's probably fighting.”

Jessica wondered how much of that statement was actually true. She didn't know if Papa was being genuine or if he was just saying those things to keep her calm. His eyes were full of honesty, though, so maybe he was being truthful. Jess only wished that she could be that confident. She wanted to know that Jude was still alive; that his soul was still in his body somewhere and he was still fighting. Because he was her best friend and she wouldn't be able to go on without him.

“I just want to talk to him,” Jess sniffled, using her damp, purple jacket sleeve to wipe away her hot tears, “I just want to tell him that we're trying to save him. And that I'm sorry.”

“I know, Jessie,” Papa cooed, squeezing her hands tight, “And you will. You and Jude are like two peas in a pod. You were always close, even before you were born.”

Jess blinked away a few more tears to look back at her Papa properly. Before they were born? How in the world were Jude and Jess so close even before they were born?

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Another hard shake rattled the house, which made them cling to each others' hands and wait it out for a second, before Papa answered.

“When I was pregnant with you, Jude was just a baby. One day during the pregnancy, I was holding him, and he actually talked to you through my stomach. At least, I think you guys were talking. Some kind of made up baby language or something,” Papa smiled a little, “Whatever he said made you really happy. I could feel the love too.”

Papa's story made Jessica's heart melt. She had no idea that Jude was able to make her happy even before she was born! That was so sweet! And _magical_! Papa's smile widened as he looked at Jess, as if he could tell that the story made her feel better.

“Don't you worry, honeydew. We're gonna get him back,” he said softly.

For the first time since Jude was taken, Jessica actually believed that they would get him back. If Jude could talk to an unborn baby and make God appear out of thin air, he could do anything. Even defeat the Darkness.

“Gabe,” Dad called from the study, getting both Papa and Jess's attention, “Can you put a protection spell around the house?”

Papa looked back at Jessica, gave her a comforting wink, and gently kissed her fingers before letting go to get up from the floor and talk with Dad. It seemed like the adults were trying to figure out a way to stabilize the house and keep it safe from the destruction outside. Jessica watched her parents and uncle Dean from a distance, and her eyes slowly drifted down to uncle Cas beyond them. Cas was still kneeling next to Adam's bed with his hands together, praying faithfully to his Dad for help. And watching him pray so fiercely gave Jessica an idea...

If Jude could talk to her from anywhere, even outside the womb, maybe he could talk to her from where ever he was now...

Anxious to see if it would work, Jessica quickly turned toward the kitchen table, braced her elbows on the flat surface, positioned her hands over her ears, and closed her eyes so that she could concentrate. Using as much grace and positivity as she could muster, Jess tried sending out a simple message. To make sure it would work, she even whispered it out loud under her breath.

“ _Jude?_ ” she asked, throwing the message toward her cousin's very soul, “ _Can you hear me?_ ”

After she spoke, Jessica listened closely to any sound that might come her way. For a second, it seemed as though her plan didn't work. Was Jude in a place where he couldn't hear her? Did Darkness trap him inside his own head? Or worse – what if he really was gone?! Jessica hoped with all of her heart that she would hear Jude talk back. And then, very faintly, his voiced appeared inside her head.

“... _Jessie_?” he asked.

Jessica's eyes flew open and she sucked in a shrill gasp. Jude answered her! He heard her prayer! _Jude was still alive_! Jessie looked at all the people around her, feeling like she was on the verge of exploding with excitement.

“Hey!” she shouted to the rest of her family, “Hey, I – I can hear him! I talked to him! I just prayed to Jude!”

Every open eye in the house met Jessica with varying degrees of shock. A single tick of the clock went by before Dean and Clarence stormed toward the kitchen table to meet Jessica with hopeful expressions, but uncle Cas beat everyone there. He flew to Jessica's side and took her shoulders to zero her focus on him first.

“You heard Jude speak?!” he breathed.

Jess nodded quickly, but her attention was soon diverted to everyone else who started calling out questions and requests.

“Is he okay?” uncle Dean asked, “Tell him we're here!”

“Tell him to fight it, Jess. Tell him to get it out,” Dad pleaded.

“What did he say?!” Clarence shouted, gently shoving Papa out of the way so that he could come closer to see Jess's face.

“Whoa, whoa, give her a second,” Ollie barked loudly.

Jess's red-haired boyfriend held out a defensive hand toward everyone as if he was trying to help Jessica keep her personal space. And once everyone respectfully settled, his lovely chocolate eyes turned to meet her stare.

“Go ahead,” he prompted, offering her a chance to speak.

Jessie gulped, feeling grateful for Ollie's help on calming everyone's chaos.

“I, um, I only asked him if he could hear me and he said yes,” she admitted.

“Try it again, Jessica,” uncle Cas asked sincerely, kneeling down to take her free hand, “Please, let him know that we are all here. Tell him that we love him and we are trying to find a way to help him.”

Although she sort of felt like she was in a spotlight, Jessica did what her uncle asked. She bowed her head and closed her eyes to concentrate again, trying to clear her mind enough to get her message through. Instead of talking out loud, Jessica simply kept the words in her mind this time.

' _Yeah, it's me_ ,' she prayed, answering Jude's earlier question, ' _Jude, I'm here with everyone. They're all excited to hear that you're okay!_ '

“ _Everyone?_ ” Jude asked back, “ _Who?_ ”

Jessica opened one eye, scanning all of the eager and loving faces in front of her. They were all hovering around her and waiting to hear the verdict, but Jess wanted to be as precise as possible.

' _Your parents, my parents, our uncles, Ollie, Clarence – everyone, Jude. Even Ms. Jane and Dickie_ ,' Jessica prayed back, ' _They're all here and they love you very much. We're trying to find a way to help you reclaim your body_.'

“ _Reclaim my body?_ ” he repeated again, sounding so bland, “ _What's wrong with it?_ ”

Jess found that question a little weird. Did Jude not know about what happened? Did he not know that he was being used as a vessel?

' _Darkness is possessing you,_ ' she answered as gently as possible, ' _It's trying to destroy the world with your grace, Jude. But since you're still in there, you can stop it._ '

“ _Actually, no_ ,” Jude replied instantly, “ _I can't. It's too strong_.”

“What is he saying, Jessica?”

Jess opened her eyes again at the sound of uncle Cas's frantic voice. By now, her personal space was being invaded by everyone's anxious faces again. They were leaning far forward, desperate to know how Jude was doing.

“He – he says he can't stop Darkness from the inside because it's too strong,” Jessica admitted to her family.

“That's entirely absurd,” uncle Crowley barked from the back, “Jessica, kindly remind that child that he is the son of Castiel and Dean Winchester, and that his grace outshines even that of Heaven's deadliest archangel.”

Though she was a bit overwhelmed by everyone's chatty murmurs, Jessica closed her eyes to speak with her cousin again.

' _Jude, you can do anything_ ,' she prayed, rephrasing Crowley's encouraging remarks, ' _You're Superman, remember? You saved me! And you can save the world! You're a hero!_ '

“ _No, I'm not,_ ” Jude's voice was so frail and pitiful in Jess's mind, “ _I'm not anything, Jessie. I'm nothing. That other voice in my head keeps telling me to die... Maybe I should..._ ”

“ _No!_ ” Jessica shouted, both in her head and out loud.

“What?! What is it?!” Dean asked.

Jessica opened her eyes and looked among her family again, seeing fear starting to rise up on their faces again. How could she possibly tell them what she just heard?

“Jude said...” she trailed off, feeling terrified, “He said that maybe he should...”

Jessica couldn't force the last word out. It was just too painful. Instead, she went back into her mind and tried to talk Jude out of his crazy thoughts.

' _No, Jude, you can't die! Please don't give up!_ ' she nearly begged, ' _Don't let Darkness make you feel that way! Your family needs you, Jude! We all love you with all of our hearts! And we're going to find a way to help you kick the Darkness out of your body! You're not a vessel, Jude! You're my brother and my best friend!_ '

“ _You're my best friend too, Jessie_ ,” Jude prayed, “ _and I'm so sorry... but you don't know what it's like in here. It's awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone... I'll try to hold on... but if I don't make it, please tell everyone that I'm sorry, okay? Tell them that I tried –_ ”

' _Jude!_ ' Jessie whimpered.

“ – _and that I love them all. It's no one's fault but mine,_ ” Jude finished.

' _Jude!_ ' Jess called again, ' _This is crazy! Why are you talking like that?!_ '

Even though Jess's prayer rang out toward her cousin, Jude didn't reply anymore. Her graceful voice was bouncing back to her as if the mental room she and Jude had been sharing was vacant now. She called out to him a few more times but her awareness was eventually pulled back to Bobby's kitchen, where Ollie was lightly shaking her shoulders.

“Jessie,” he gulped, zeroing his sight on her eyes, “Are you okay? Tell us what's happening.”

As soon as she looked up at Ollie's familiar face, Jessica let out a sob and buried herself into his warm, comforting arms. How was she supposed to tell her family what she just heard? How could she break Dean and Cas's hearts like that? How could she look at Clarence and tell him that Jude was thinking about giving up?!

“What is it?” uncle Cas nearly demanded, his voice cracking a bit, “Jessica, please.”

“He... He wants to g – give up,” Jessica stammered, keeping her face toward Ollie's chest because she couldn't bare to look anyone in the eye, “He's not gone, but he can't – he can't fight it much longer. He wouldn't listen to me! He shut me out!”

Silence occupied the kitchen, other than the quite shuddering of furniture from the continuous earth tremors. Jessica was too afraid to turn around and look, but she was sure that her family was heartbroken. No one said anything for what seemed like a very long time. Until Michael's voice entered from the study. It was calm and comforting; the same tone that Papa used to use when he told Jess a bedtime story in her youth.

“Jude is a very strong soul,” the archangel hummed lightly, “If anyone else were in his situation, they would have wasted away by now... but he is a Winchester. And if there is one thing I've learned about Winchesters,” he paused to glance back at Adam's unconscious body laying in the hospital bed behind him with fondness, “It is that they never. Ever. Stop. Fighting... Yes, the circumstances seem dire and hopeless. And yes, I know that this may sound strange coming from someone who has never been welcome in your family... But _I have faith_ in Jude Winchester. Not because of _what_ he is, but because of _who_ he is. Loyalty, selflessness, love, courage – these traits that your family has perfected for generations have all trickled down to Jude. He is the embodiment of what it means to be a Winchester. And while I can't offer much assistance in this crisis, I vow that I will see to it that he makes it back into the safety of your care. Because he deserves it.”

Jessica felt her lungs fill with a deep, relieving breath after Michael's small speech. He said the one thing that everyone needed to hear in that moment, and they received it with dutiful encouragement.

Every soul in Bobby's house was going to fight for Jude until he was free.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” (- Albus Dumbledore.) … ;) So, yeah. Things still look kind of bleak right now, but I promise that this is the lowest point in the story. Everything will get better from here. ;) Heck, we've already seen Clarence punch two different archangels in the face, I think things are already getting better. Lol! XD (Clare: “I punched 2 archangels in the face!” Jude: “Cool. I killed one when I was ten.” Clare: “...Showoff.”) XD For those wondering, Cas's Enochian near the beginning translates as: “My son lives.” Because even Mama Bear Cas knows his baby hasn't given up yet. ;D I hope that the whole 'depression' motif isn't too distracting or dramatic for you guys. I just know that sometimes, when you're stuck in the pit of depression, you can't even find the motivation to listen to the people you love. (like when Jude shut Jessie out.) Darkness might think it has a jump on our baby boy, but its in for a rude awakening. ;) Oh! And where did uncle Luci go, I wonder? Will he be back? Hmm. Only time will tell, I suppose. ;D I'm glad that most of you have stuck around this far into the story! Because things are about to get much better in the next chapter! And it's going to start off in Clarence's pov! :D Thank you guys sooo much for being there for me! You will always be my source of light in the darkness. ;) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	12. Chapter 12

When it came to shit-storms and drama, Clarence considered himself a pretty good navigator of his own feelings. In the past, he was able to keep a flawless poker face during almost any situation; being interrogated by police for thieving, being made fun of by other kids his age, being abandoned by his birth mother _twice_ , being raped by a middle aged soccer coach in an alley behind a Walgreen's – you name it, Clarence lived through it. He wasn't scared of Darkness because he had been living with his own brand of Darkness for most of his life.

But when it came to _Jude_... Clarence couldn't handle himself at all.

As much as he hated him, Clare had to give props to that denim-jacket-wearing asshole – the same douche bag that 'accidentally' burned down Clare's house and slaughtered his adoptive coven. The dude gave a pretty good speech about how important and strong Jude was. Everything he said was true. Jude really was loyal, selfless, and courageous. But Clare didn't need to hear any of that shit from an archangel; he already knew it from personal experience. There wasn't a soul in the universe that understood _and accepted_ Clarence the way that Jude did. The kid was a walking bundle of love and light. He made Clare feel warm just by being near him. Jude was the gravitational pull that kept Clarence grounded on Earth. Clare didn't deserve him. He really didn't.

And now that Jude was stuck in limbo with that evil Darkness shit, Clarence couldn't help but feel responsible. He was the one who gave Jude that dumb courage potion. Remembering the sight of Jay gulping that entire bottle of red liquid made Clarence feel sick. Ugh, why the hell did he give that kid such a strong potion?! Maybe Jude would have let Clare come with him if he didn't feel so brave, and maybe Clarence could have stopped this from happening. But it was all screwed up now...

After Michael's speech, Jude's parents hugged each other and started praying again, on Bobby's kitchen floor this time. Sam and Gabriel whispered to Bobby and Crowley near the fridge about protecting the house. Rowena had come over to sit with Jane and comfort her at the table. And carrot-top was holding onto Jess, trying to comfort her. Of all the heartbroken people in the room, Clarence felt like Jessica could relate to his pain the most. He found himself inching closer to her chair and wishing that he could figure out what to say. But what could he say? He was the reason Jude was all alone out there.

“It's not your fault, Jessica,” Clarence mumbled, sparing a side-glance her way, “It's mine. I'm the one that gave Jude that stupid potion...”

The blonde girl sniffled a little and shook her head in protest. But Clare nodded in defense of his statement.

“Yeah, it is my fault,” he quickly said before she could argue, “It's all my fault. Everything that happened to him since I came along... I should have never let him fall in love with me... I'm bad for him... He's Superman and I'm kryptonite...”

“No.”

Clarence raised his head to finally look at Jess. Her voice was soft and comforting when she interrupted him, and her watery eyes were full of a certain type of wisdom when she looked at him.

“You're not Kryptonite, Clare. You're his _sunshine_ ,” she corrected, “You're not his weakness, you're his strength. Jude never fought for anyone until you came along, not even for himself. He loves you more than anything. And he always will.”

Clare was tempted to dismiss Jessica's statement for just another comforting lie. Honestly, he didn't feel worthy enough to be loved so much by someone. Who the hell in their right mind would fight for a homeless teenage drug-addict from Chicago? But then, as he stared at the consoling smile of the blonde girl near him, Clarence slowly realized that she was right. Jude would never hurt a fly... unless that fly hurt Clare first. The only time Clare ever saw his boyfriend power up like a real angel was when something was happening to him; like when his old supplier tried to touch him, or when Michael had him by the throat. Jude came to his defense every time; threatening to take out anyone who hurt Clarence. There was fire down in his soul that burned for Clare.

And if Jude was still in his body, Clare could fan the fire to help him burn out the Darkness.

Without another word, Clarence quickly jumped up from the table and spun around to get to his room. He had to maneuver around Dean and Cas, who were kneeling on the floor praying – a pretty useless thing to do, Clare thought – but was eventually able to reach the hallway. No one else seemed to notice him leaving and he was glad. He didn't want anyone to stop him from doing this...

Inside his room, Clarence was met with the view of his messy bedsheets and the memory of what happened there only a few hours before. Clare tried his best not to think about having sex with Jude as he stumbled to his closet door and ripped it open to dig inside. The only light in the room was the flickering candle on the dresser that barely had any wax left. But he was still able to find the object he had been looking for. His very first guitar; the same he had when he first met Jude. Clare had stashed it in the back of his closet for safe keeping because he had a new one to play on. But since that new one was currently stuck somewhere in Kansas next to Dean's Impala and Jude's uneaten birthday cake, his old one would have to do.

With his original guitar in hand, Clarence bolted back out of his room and down the hall, only pausing to grab one of Bobby's folding chairs out of the storage closet. The sound of his family's hushed voices were still coming from the kitchen and he was glad that they were all distracted. This little fight was going to be between Clare, Jude, and the Darkness; no one else. As quickly and quietly as possible, Clarence opened the front door and slipped out with the chair and the guitar, shutting the door behind him to keep everyone else safe inside.

The outside of Bobby's house looked like a damn sci-fi movie gone wrong. The ground was jagged and uneven everywhere, making trees stick out in awkward positions. A few stacks of his junk cars were overturned and sprawled all over the ground, and some of the ones parked along the street had been smashed by downed trees and power line poles. All of it was barely visible in the lights from Bobby's windows. The entire scene would have been pitch black otherwise. The wind was heavy, cold, and full of debris, but Clarence braced a shoulder against it and kept on trudging. He had a job to do and a little change of scenery wasn't going to stop him.

Though it was dark as hell, Clarence eventually found a piece of ground flat enough to put the folding chair down. The wind tossed around his hair and clothes and threatened to knock over his seat, but he quickly put his ass in it and leaned back with his guitar in hand. Other than the sound of rustling breeze, it was eerily silent out here in the dark; the perfect setting Clare needed. After tweaking his strings to tune them a little, Clarence cleared his throat and gently started playing a song. Jude's favorite song. Something that Clare knew would bring Jude home to him.

'Hey Jude' had always been one of Clare's favorite tunes to play, ever since he picked up the guitar for the first time. But hearing it come from his own fingers in that moment made tingles inch up both of his arms. Damn, he really loved this song. And he loved Jude. God, he hoped Jude would be able to hear how much passion and heart he was pouring into it; how forcefully he was plucking each string, how tight he was holding the chords, how every note echoed out into the dark like a mating call. Clarence wasn't going to stop playing until he saw Jude's face again... But, luckily, he didn't have to wait very long.

When Clarence raised his head, he saw Jude standing a few yards in front of him.

Though he was, once again, startled by how lifeless and creepy his boyfriend looked with black eyes, Clarence didn't stop playing. He kept strumming his guitar and smiled at Jude's face. It worked. Jude must have heard the song and made Darkness fly toward it – toward _Clarence_.

“I knew you'd come, Jude,” Clare smirked.

Jude's head tilted down and shook back and forth.

“Jude is gone.”

The reply came from Jude's mouth, but it wasn't his voice. It was too harsh, too low, and didn't have any emotion in it. Obviously, Clare had to talk to Darkness in order to get through to Jude. But that was fine. Clarence's smirk only shined a little brighter.

“Really?” he mused, “Then what are you doing here?”

Darkness didn't like when Clare pointed out the fact that he was in Bobby's yard instead of ending the world. It was clear that the asshole would rather be destroying the universe than standing there in front of an idiot with a guitar. But Darkness didn't have much of a choice if Jude's heart pulled them there. And with Jude finally near him, Clarence knew that it was time to talk. Clare stood up and strummed one last note from the song before turning around to lay his instrument on the chair.

“Jay,” Clare began, turning around to face his possessed boyfriend, “I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. You saved my life once – Hell, you save my life every day – and now it's time for me to return the fav -”

A hard, strong fist flew out of the dark and smashed into the side of Clare's face, nearly knocking him to his knees. His head spun and his sight blurred from the impact, but he was able to remain standing. Shit, that was a hard hit.

“Ow,” Clarence snipped angrily, spitting out the blood that had gathered in his mouth, “That hurt like a mother -”

A swift uppercut came from nowhere, making Clare's jaw clack together and his head snap back. The force was enough to make him woozy and lose his sense of direction, but still, he stayed standing. Clare wasn't sure where Jude was in the dark, so he held his own hands over his face for defense.

“ _Jude_ ,” he said a little louder, hoping his voice could pierce through the fog of Darkness and reach his boyfriend, “Y – you never gave up on me... Remember that? … You never stopped fighting for me, and I'll never stop fighting for you,” Clare promised, “C'mon, Superman... The world won't make it without you... _My_ world won't make it...”

A streak of lightening raced across the dark sky, briefly revealing Jude's silhouette positioned toward Clare. It looked like Darkness was coming toward him again and Clare didn't have much time to get his message out.

“I know you've got fire in there somewhere, Jude!” Clare nearly shouted, “I've always known it was there! You just have to _use it_ , man! You just have to -”

Even though Clare saw it coming, he still wasn't ready for the massive blow that made him crumble like a piece of paper. Darkness, using Jude's body, delivered a vicious punch to Clare's stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs and making him double over and drop to the ground. Clarence barely had time to rest on his knees when a foot came flying through the air to kick him in the face. The solid kick was hard enough to crack his nose and send him flying onto his back. A wheezy groan was the only sound he could make as he laid and looked up at the dark sky, feeling hot blood run from his nose down his mouth. Holy shit. Clarence had been beaten up quite a few times in his life, but damn. Never like this. The fact that the blows were coming from Jude's hands seemed to make it hurt worse somehow.

When Clare finally blinked his eyes open, he saw Jude's face hovering over him. He was kneeling on the ground with his hands clinched into fists, ready to punch Clarence in the face again – but he wasn't moving. He was just kneeling there with a scowl and a shaking fist. It wasn't until the black eyes glared toward Jude's balled hands that Clare realized... It was _Jude_. Jude was starting to take control over his own body again, and he wasn't letting Darkness hit Clare anymore. Laughter started bubbling out of Clare's mouth because he couldn't help but feel amused. The sound of his giggles, though, seemed to piss Darkness off even more.

“H – he won't let you kill me,” Clarence pointed out with a bloodied grin.

Darkness howled with rage before jumping up from the ground. Clare rolled to sit up and watch him, worried that he might fly off somewhere. But he only hovered nearby with a scowl.

“I don't need a body to kill you,” Darkness spat.

Clare thought that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard. How the hell was it supposed to kill Clare if it didn't use a body to touch him? Unfortunately, the answer to this question came when a vision appeared before him. A figure manifested out of the dark and came crawling toward Clarence like a deranged lunatic. Once it was close enough, Clare was able to recognize its face and he nearly gasped. Oh shit. It was _Meg_.

“ _Filthy parasite!_ ” the vision of his birth mother shrieked, pointing a crooked finger at him, “ _You were a mistake! I never wanted you!_ ”

Clare knew what the Darkness was doing. It was trying to use his past trauma to haunt him; to weaken him to the point that he would give up. But the joke was on Darkness. Clarence relived this nightmare all the time. It couldn't possibly hurt him anymore.

“Oh, what else is new, bitch?” Clarence casually shouted toward the dark vision.

With that attempt dashed, Darkness created a new one. Meg faded away and was replaced by Alfie, Clarence's old drug supplier from Chicago. He looked the same way he did when Jude tossed him through a window; dirty clothes, alcoholic stench and all. The evil vision of him stumbled forward with his hand in his own pants, groping himself like he always used to do.

“ _Hey, baby boy_ ,” he slurred, his grin nasty and vulgar, “ _Lemme play with you a while... Come on... Shh... I won't tell anybody..._ ”

“Go play with yourself, you cheap, child-raping asshole,” Clarence barked back, turning his sight to Jude's black eyes in the distance, “Is that all you've got?”

It seemed like no matter what past memory Darkness threw at him, Clarence was able to shrug it off. And that fact really seemed to piss the guy off. The haunting vision of Alfie faded away and it was just Clarence and Jude again. Darkness seemed perplexed and angered by Clare's calm responses. He only stared at Clare for a minute before trudging forward and speaking frankly.

“You are unloved,” Darkness reminded coolly.

“I used to be. Not anymore,” Clarence argued.

“You are pathetic,” Darkness continued.

“Only in bed, but Jude and I are working on that,” Clare smirked.

“You are a disgrace,” It spat.

“Nah, my coven would be proud of me for sticking it out this long,” Clarence nodded.

Darkness paused to reach down and grab Clare by the throat. It lifted him up off the ground and held him toward the sky, making him gasp for breath and kick his feet. Blood poured out from his broken nose and slid down to paint streaks on Jude's white hand.

“You are alone,” Darkness growled forcefully.

Clare opened his mouth to argue again, but he only gargled. Darkness's grip was super tight around his neck. Shit, this looked like the end. What if Darkness was able to kill him? What if this was the last time Clare got to see Jude's face? Luckily, just before Clarence started to lose consciousness, he saw a flash of yellow light bump into Jude's chest. The Darkness dropped Clarence to the ground and Clare was finally able to suck in a huge gasp of breath.

“No, he's not.”

The sound of Gabriel's determined voice was followed by multiple sets of footsteps. Clare blinked to focus his blurry sight, watching his entire new family flood Bobby's front yard. He was partly happy that they were able to show up and save his sorry ass, but he still didn't want them getting in the way. He was so freaking close to having Jude free just now! Clare didn't want anyone to ruin it!

“Dammit, kid,” Gabe breathed, kneeling down to him, “Are you crazy?!”

“Partially,” Clarence admitted, wiping the blood from his face, “D'you mind giving me a quick magic touch? I've got him on the ropes and I'd like to keep it that way.”

Though the archangel rolled his eyes, Gabriel snapped his fingers, healing Clarence in an instant. Once he had his complete health back, Clare stood up to see that Darkness was standing idly in Jude's body nearby, watching everyone group near him.

“ _Jude_ ,” Castiel's voice sounded so broken as he looked to his husband, “Wh – what do we do, Dean?”

“Good question,” Dean muttered, turning to Clarence in the dark, “What the hell are you doing, Clare?”

“Saving your son,” Clarence answered.

“Really? Because it looks to me as though you were trying to get yourself _killed_ , boy,” Crowley hissed, his angered tone tainted with underlying worry.

“If Darkness is here, then we should try to get it out of Jude,” Jessica squeaked.

“I was working on it!” Clarence groaned, spinning to face his family, “Look, guys, I was able to get Jude here by playing his song. He heard me and he came to -”

“His song?” Michael interrupted, sounding lost.

“Hey Jude,” Castiel guessed, his tone much more hopeful than before as he reached out to tug Dean's arm, “He – he always responded to that song, even before he was born. Especially when you sang it, Dean. Perhaps if we sing it, then -”

“ - it'll let Jude know that we're all here and he can kick that thing out of his body,” Dean finished with a nod.

“Seriously? _That's_ your game plan? A freaking sing-along?”

Everyone turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Out of the shadows of a couple of overturned cars, a pair of glowing red eyes slowly made their way closer to the crowd. It was Lucifer, back from where-ever-the-hell he had gone, and now he was waltzing up to the Winchesters like he had never left. Clare was a little pissed to see him. The guy flew off and abandoned the whole mission because he got a little cranky and _now_ he shows up? The balls on that asshole...

“I'm starting to think I should have stayed in the cage,” Lucifer hummed.

“Brother,” Michael said sternly, “I was sure you finally left for good. What brings you back to this battlefield?”

“Eh. What can I say. I'm a glutton for punishment,” Lucifer shrugged, “Besides, all the good vacation spots are pretty much mulched right now anyway, so... I figured if I was going to die, might as well be with you guys, right?”

“Fine. Whatever. You can stay,” Dean reluctantly allowed, “As long as you -”

A grunt came from the crowd in the dark and Clare was barely able to see two figures wrestling. It wasn't until another streak of lightening lit up the dark sky that Clare saw Darkness using Jude's body to choke Dean. Everyone else was too shocked – or terrified – to do anything but watch for a second. Castiel and Sam rushed over to try and pull Jude's clamped fingers from off of Dean's neck, but nothing stopped him... That is, until Dean started humming.

It was low and broken at first, but Clare recognized it as the last verse of Hey Jude. ' _Nah, nah, nah, nah-nah-nah-nah_.' Once he got to the end of the notes, Dean whispered ' _Hey Jude_ ' in a warm, comforting way... and Jude's hand slowly let go. Clare smiled warmly at the sight of Jude backing away. It was working! Jude heard it! Luckily, Dean kept humming the song and Cas soon joined in. It wasn't long before their whole family – apart from Lucifer, who only stood by and watched – was singing the last verse of Hey Jude, crowding around Jude in a loving circle.

But while hearing his family's voices seemed to keep him stable, Darkness was still in control of Jude. It kept glaring around at everyone's faces, growling and hissing like some kind of animal. Clarence knew that there had to be some way to pull Jude back into the driver's seat of his own body. If the song wasn't enough to do it, what was?

“C'mon, Jay,” Clarence said among everyone's humming, stepping closer to his boyfriend, “We're all here for you, man. We all believe in you. We all have faith in you. You don't have to fight this thing alone, Jude. We're all here to help you.”

Pretty soon, Clarence was standing face to face with Darkness. It was giving him a lethal glare, but Clarence tried to ignore it. Instead, he tried to imagine that it was just him and Jude standing there; that the two of them were in a prettier place with no one around but each other. It was just them standing peacefully on a battlefield, with hearts full of affection.

“I love you, Jude,” Clarence whispered beneath the hums, for only his boyfriend to hear.

Among the sound of their family singing Jude's favorite song, Clarence leaned forward to press his lips to Jude's mouth. He cradled the back of Jude's head in the process, raking his fingers through Jude's spiky brown hair. Clare put as much passion and love as he could into the kiss, hoping that it would be enough to bring Jude to the surface.

And when Clare finally backed away and blinked his eyes open, there were a pair of ocean blue eyes staring back at him.

“Cl... Clare?” Jude's precious little voice asked.

“Y – yeah,” Clarence breathed, feeling a smile flash on his own face as warm liquid filled his eyes, “I'm right here, Jay!”

Jude's baby-blues searched Clare's face for a second, as if he was looking at him for the first time – before they turned jet black again. Darkness clouded over Jude's eyes and it seemed really pissed. It tossed Clarence away, making him stumble back in shock. Jude's head shook back and forth a few times before he shouted and fell to his knees. Some of Jude's neon grace was starting to flicker along his arms as he hit the ground repeatedly. It almost looked like Jude was having an angelic seizure or something. What the hell happened?!

“Back away, demon,” Michael called, reaching out to yank Clarence to a safer distance.

“Why? What the hell's going on?!” he asked.

In front of them, Jude howled and raised his head toward the sky, where his eyes glowed white and lightening crackled through the atmosphere. He delivered another Superman-punch to the ground afterward and shook his head violently, his grace flickering on and off like a broken current of electricity. His Superman necklace was even starting to shine a little. Clare tore his eyes away from his convulsing boyfriend long enough to look up at Michael for an answer.

“Jude is fighting the Darkness from within,” the archangel explained.

* * *

After his prayer-talk with Jessie, Jude sort of let himself fade into the back of his own mind. He was sure that her words were genuine; that Jessie really wanted him to keep fighting that evil being in his head. But what was the point? It was stronger than him and there was no way he could beat it. Jude was toying with the idea of giving up there for a little while, because it seemed like the only option that would give him relief.

But then, he heard that gentle guitar playing his song.

And without even realizing it, Jude started to feel kind of excited. Was that... Clarence? Was he playing on his guitar? Oh, Jude loved to listen to Clarence play the guitar! He was so talented and his songs sounded so good! But where was that music coming from? Though he was still blind, Jude used his ears to follow the lovely sound, letting it lead him to a place where it was the loudest. Man, it almost sounded like the guitar was right in front of him.

Then, when the music stopped, Jude could faintly hear voices. At first, he didn't understand what was being said. They were only muffled sounds that were too distorted to make out. But it wasn't long before a full sentence found its way to Jude's soul.

“ _Jay, I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. You saved my life once – Hell, you save my life every day – and now it's time for me to return the fav -_ ”

Jude knew that voice. That was Clarence! Another surge of excitement coursed through Jude and he felt like smiling for the first time in a long time. But the Darkness didn't appreciate it one bit. Jude could feel its anger trying to shove Jude's happiness out of the way.

“ _Ow_ ,” Jude heard Clare's voice say, “ _That hurt like a mother -_ ”

Hurt? Clare was being hurt? No! Who was hurting him?! Jude didn't want Clarence to be hurt! He had already been hurt too many times!

“ _Jude_ ,” Clare shouted, sounding like he was in dire pain, “ _Y – you never gave up on me... Remember that? … You never stopped fighting for me, and I'll never stop fighting for you... C'mon, Superman... The world won't make it without you..._ My _world won't make it..._ ”

Jude was starting to get really upset; not from what Clarence was saying, but from the way his voice sounded. It was almost like Clare was in the middle of a fight or something. That's when Jude realized – maybe Clare was in a fight. Was he... fighting Darkness too?

“ _I know you've got fire in there somewhere, Jude!_ ” Clare reminded, “ _I've always known it was there! You just have to use it, man! You just have to -_ ”

Clarence's voice stopped abruptly, and this time Jude was sure that he was in trouble. Again, Darkness's rage was struggling to overshadow Jude's control – but now, it had to compete with Jude's own wrath, too. He wasn't about to let anyone, not even Darkness itself, hurt his blonde guitar player. Though most of Jude's body felt numb, he was finally able to slip back into his own limbs and stop his fists from swinging. Jude had to push Darkness out of the way from the inside, but it worked. At least, Jude hoped it was working. He couldn't quite hear Clare anymore.

In fact, Jude didn't hear anything for a while after that. It was just him trying to hold down the Darkness. Where did Clare go? He wasn't hurt, was he? Oh no, what if Jude stepped in too late? What if Darkness already hurt him? What if it killed him? And what if it was Jude's fault? The moment that worry and anxiety kicked in, Darkness was able to take over Jude's body again. Jude slumped back into his mind in fear, afraid that Clarence was actually gone.

Luckily, more muffled voices entered Jude's awareness, and he was almost certain that Clarence's voice was among them. Though, it was kind of hard to tell because there were so many. Who were all those people? Where did they come from? What were they talking about? Though he was blind, Jude kept his ears open, waiting to hear if he could recognize anyone else...

Then, the sweetest sound in history was able to reach Jude's soul. Just like it did before he was born. It was Dad's voice, humming the tune of his favorite song. Dad was singing it to Jude like he did when Jude was just a baby. And it sounded so nice.

“ _Hey Jude_ ,” Dad sang softly.

Jude all but shoved Darkness out of the way so that he could take control of his own limbs again. He fought the dark stuff from the inside, trying to claw his way to the surface of his own body. But Darkness kept a tight hold on him. Soon, Jude could hear an entire choir of people singing the song to him. That had to be his family! They were all there! The thought of being surrounded by all the people he loved made Jude feel so _happy_. So _safe_. So _loved_. Darkness was angry but Jude was at peace.

“ _C'mon, Jay,_ ” Clare's voice spoke, making Jude's excitement spike again, “ _We're all here for you, man. We all believe in you. We all have faith in you. You don't have to fight this thing alone, Jude. We're all here to help you._ ”

Those comforting words of reassurance glowed around Jude's soul like a ray of warm sunshine. After having to listen to Darkness say such terrible, evil things, it was so good to hear Clarence say that. Clare was the best boyfriend a guy could ever ask for. Jude loved him so much...

“ _I love you, Jude_ ,” Clare whispered, as if he heard Jude's thoughts.

For the first time in a long time, Jude felt like he had risen to the very surface of his own body. In fact, he was actually able to feel lips on his own, and he realized – Clarence was _kissing_ him. It almost resembled their very first kiss; soft and tender, but full of power. The potent blast of absolute love that surged through Jude's soul was enough to yank Darkness out of the way so that he could properly take over. Jude could finally _smell_ Clare's cologne, and _feel_ Clare's hand in his hair, and _taste_ the delicious flavor of Clare's mouth. For a second, Jude was back in the loving arms of his boyfriend with no Darkness in sight.

When Jude opened his eyes for the first time since he was possessed, the sight of Clarence's pretty forest eyes and soft blonde hair made his heart soar.

“Cl – Clare?” he asked, making sure that this wasn't some cruel dream.

“Y – yeah,” Clarence agreed with a massive grin and glistening eyes, “I'm right here, Jay!”

Jude smiled too and studied Clare's handsome face, feeling so glad that he was safe and happy. They were finally together again, with their family all around them, and Jude felt content. He had almost forgotten all about Darkness – until it yanked his soul back into that dark place. Jude was shocked by the sheer weight of total outrage coursing through his own body. Darkness was absolutely _pissed_ that Jude had gained so much advantage over it.

_'It is time for you to meet your death!'_ the entity shouted in Jude's mind.

Those words might have been able to hurt Jude before, but now they were just logs being thrown onto his fire of retaliation.

“ _No_ ,” Jude barked back, “ _It's time for you to meet yours._ ”

While Darkness struggled to take over Jude's body once more, Jude stood his ground and fought back. He kept trying to stretch back into his own limbs; trying to push Darkness out of the way so that he could slide back into his own body. But Darkness was resilient. It refused to let Jude have his body back without a fight.

' _You are nothing!_ ' Darkness groaned.

“ _Your lies don't hurt me anymore. I know the truth_ ,” Jude explained, “ _My family is waiting for me. They're fighting for me, and we'll never give up._ ”

That comment seemed to throw Darkness into an even bigger rage. It tossed a darker cloud of fog over Jude's mind, probably in an effort to confuse him or weaken him – but Jude just pulled out his grace and let the light break through it. Darkness was no match for Jude's grace. Jude could practically feel it burning on the inside of his body.

With an internal howl of frustration, Darkness briefly used the last of its power to force Jude into the air by using his wings. Jude had no choice but to fly straight up, but he couldn't see where he was going. Everything was dark again and his only sense of direction was the wind that carried him upward. The idea of being so far off the ground terrified him. What if he came crashing down? What if Jude's body splattered right in front of his whole family? What if he died all alone?

Though he was worried, Jude didn't let it get to him. He had a mission to focus on. One way or another, Darkness had to go. Jude couldn't let it hurt anyone else like it hurt him. And he knew that the only way to beat something so bad was with the power of good, just like his parents always taught him. While Darkness attempted to flee Bobby's house with the use of Jude's wings, Jude carefully and quietly slipped back into his own skin. In the meantime, he tried to keep happy thoughts playing in his mind; something that Ollie helped him learn when he was young. The mixture of his internal joy and external grace seemed to be too much for Darkness. The light of Jude's grace physically burned the evil thing; making it scream in pain. Jude could tell that it was close to dying out. And it chose the strangest last words to say.

_God has abandoned you_ , Darkness wheezed.

It sounded like Darkness was bitter about Grandpa Chuck not showing up in person to fight. But the words made Jude want to laugh. It was practically impossible for Grandpa to abandon his children, because he lived _inside_ of them. They took God with them where ever they went. Grandpa wasn't just a physical being. He took many shapes. Light, hope, faith, _love_... God was everywhere. Jude learned that when he was just a child. And it was a shame that Darkness never did...

“ _You obviously don't know my grandpa very well_ ,” Jude replied pitifully.

With his wings spread out and Darkness cornered, Jude finally let his grace fully shine for the first time in his life. Every molecule of his being lit up, making him shine with the intensity of the sun. And strangely, Jude felt comfortable in his own angelic body. Darkness was no match for the light. Jude's grace burned it away until he was alone in his body again, free from the bondage of fear and sadness at last.

Once Darkness was gone, Jude closed his eyes and returned his grace to the confines of his body. He suddenly felt extremely tired; too weak to even keep his own head up. Cool wind brushed against his face as he fell out of the sky and it made him a little worried about meeting the ground too fast. But soon, he felt a pair of familiar, loving arms wrap around him and he smiled, breathing in the first scent he ever smelled. Papa was there.

* * *

When Michael pulled Clarence out of the way and Jude began to hit the ground, Castiel could sense that his child had awoken inside his body. Between the fluctuating grace and Darkness, the sudden howls of discomfort, and the shifting expressions on Jude's face, it was clear that his soul was engaged in internal combat. Jude was fighting the Darkness from within his own body, and the thought both terrified Castiel and made him proud. Cas did not want his child's precious soul to be in any danger. But like his human father, Jude was very strong willed. And now that the entire family helped coax Jude into action, there was no turning back.

“What do we do?” Bobby called from across the circle.

“There's nothing we can do,” Michael replied, still holding onto Clarence's arm, “This is Jude's fight, now.”

Castiel felt his husband's hand reach up to take his arm. Dean was understandably concerned about their son's distress and was, perhaps, hoping that Castiel could be of some assistance. But Michael was right. This was a spiritual battle between Jude and Darkness. The only thing their family could do was hope and pray that Jude would be victorious.

In front of them, Jude physically thrashed around. Many times, he struck the ground with his fists, breaking the Earth with bursts of grace. His head was always in motion; tossing, turning, shaking, tilting. Grunts of rage exited his mouth and for a brief moment, he knelt to the ground and remained still. Castiel and Dean both took a timid step forward, both yearning to hold their child again. But Jude's entire body suddenly flashed with the holy light of his grace, revealing his wings spreading out behind him. Dean quickly closed his eyes and curled toward Castiel, shielding his delicate vision from Jude's powerful aura. But Castiel's sight remained fixed on their son. Jude had taken his body back for a short time.

It wasn't long after his wings burst free, however, that Jude began to raise into the sky. His head was far back and his wings inched him higher toward the swirling black mass of dark clouds above. Castiel gulped in fear as he watched his child fly high overhead. Jude never liked flying; not even when he was in the womb. Something about this situation did not add up. Was Jude no longer afraid? Or was Darkness forcing Jude to do something that frightened him?

“Holy shit, he's way up there,” Lucifer noted.

“Where's he going?” Jessica asked.

“He hates flying,” Dean mentioned, stating Cas's own thoughts out loud, “Cas, what if he can't get back down?”

The fearful tone of Dean's voice was enough to finally push Castiel into action. The angel released his husband before letting out his own grace and flashing up into the sky. Castiel climbed into the atmosphere to hover near Jude's dangling legs. He was afraid to touch Jude at first. Castiel did not want to interrupt the fight, just in case Jude was winning it. For several seconds, Castiel flew nervously in the air; impatiently waiting for a sign that Jude had succeeded in vanquishing Darkness.

And this sign came when Jude lit up the entire sky. His holy, snow-white grace shined from every fiber of his being as he stretched his arms up toward the heavens. Just beyond Jude's finger tips, a small portion of the clouds dispersed, revealing a single ray of pure sunlight. The beam of light shined down on Jude's floating form, bathing him in warmth and perfectly outlining his silhouette. Tears threatened to rise up in Castiel's eyes as he gazed at the breathtaking view of his child defeating the most powerful foe in history.

He had done it. Jude destroyed Darkness.

As he stared in mesmerized wonder at his son's divine victory, Castiel realized that Jude's grace was fading out. The boy had returned his grace to his earthly body – and now, he was slowly falling out of the sky. Seeing this as his opportunity, Castiel quickly flashed up to gently wrap his child into the safety of his arms. Jude, now much bigger than the infant from Cas's memories, had finally returned to his loving possession. The angel curled his teenager's body close to his own chest and slowly descended from the sky.

“I've got you now, Jude,” Castiel whispered, “There's nothing to fear.”

Though Jude appeared to be slightly unconscious, Castiel still took his distaste for flight into account when returning to the ground. Instead of flying there, Cas simply drifted down to gently land among their family. Everyone swarmed around Castiel and Jude as the angel knelt down to cradle his child's head in his hands. Jude's eyes were still closed, but he appeared to be fine. Dean was the first one to kneel next to Jude, followed by Clarence and the rest of their family.

“Little man?” Dean asked, reaching out to caress their son's face, “Can you hear me, buddy?”

“Wake up, Jay. We're all here,” Clarence added, petting the top of Jude's head.

Castiel closely observed his child as well, hoping that their voices would get through to him. At first, Jude's face contorted and his eyebrows scrunched. But then, his eyes slowly flickered open, revealing the beautiful sapphire orbs that Castiel had fallen in love with so long ago. Jude blinked a few times and looked around at all the faces peering down on him, seeming a little overwhelmed. Sounds of gasps, sighs of relief, and soft chuckles filled the area. But Castiel's first course of action was to lean down and give his child's temple a loving kiss.

“Hello, son,” the angel hummed.

Jude gulped a little in Cas's arms, raising a weak hand to grab the tan trench coat hanging between them.

“H – hey, Papa,” Jude replied warmly, voice raspy but full of joy.

Jude was soon flooded with positive messages; Dean showering him with praise, Jessica scolding him for scaring her but admitting how glad she was that he was okay, Bobby and Crowley warning him to never do it again, Sam and Gabriel relaying their gratitude to him for keeping Jessica safe, Oliver telling him how awesome the fight looked from the outside, Clarence petting his hair and telling him how much he loved him... The whole family spoke over each other in such a happy, blurred conversation, that all Jude could do was lay back and smile at them all. It was difficult to pin point one voice out of all the others, because they blended together so smoothly – that is, until one voice came from outside of their huddled circle.

“I knew you could do it, Jude.”

Castiel swallowed a gulp as he raised his head to peer in the direction the voice came from. Everyone slowly turned around to look, giving Castiel and Jude both clearance to behold the person standing a few yards away. His hands were tucked neatly inside his jacket pockets, but his beard was a mess on his smiling face.

“I couldn't be more proud,” Chuck praised warmly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! Darkness vaporized. ;D I think we should all give lots of props to our baby Clarence, who figured out a way to reach Jude when no one else could. ;) Clare has been through a heck of a lot of stuff in his time, but he's clearly gotten a better hold on his emotions since Jude, and the rest of the family, came into his life. I guess we all learn to handle Darkness in our own ways. :) And uncle Luci actually came back! He just needed to cool off for a while I guess. Lol. :) I'm sorry if the build up to this chapter was hard for you to get through. I know some of you actually had a hard time with Jude's inner Darkness monologue because it hit so close to home, but never fear. With the help of his loved ones, Jude was able to vanquish the Darkness for good. (And so can we.) :) I've stated this before in an earlier part (I think) but, my Chuck isn't exactly canon. He's more of a mix of 'Chuck' and the classical interpretation of God. Some of you probably got to the end of this chapter and were like, “ _Really, dude? Now you show up?_ ” Well, I guess my reply to that would have to be, who said Chuck wasn't there the whole time? ;) Like Jude said, 'Grandpa' takes many forms; Love being the most prominent. I know that thought probably sounds cliché and silly, but I love it. :D Some of the characters in the story, on the other hand... we'll see what they have to say next week. ;) Thank you all so much for sticking through the harsh angst to get to this point! I hope that seeing Jude take down Darkness made all the angst worthwhile. ;) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	13. Chapter 13

Jude didn't have to look up from his Papa's lap to know who had spoken. He would know that voice anywhere; not by the sound itself, but by the powerful emotion that the words left in his heart. It was Grandpa Chuck in his human form. And he must have been standing just across the broken road, because almost everyone else was glaring in that direction.

Though he felt really weak, Jude lifted his head up from Papa's lap so that he could fully see his Grandpa. With his hands in his jacket pockets and his stubbly beard hiding a sweet smile, Grandpa Chuck beamed toward his family with pride. All around them and overhead, the dark clouds were dispersing; finally letting in the sunshine from just beyond the cloaked haze. The sun was setting in the west, behind Grandpa's back, and the heavenly yellow-orange glow made him look perfectly divine. If God wasn't in his human form, Jude would have mistaken him for the sky itself.

But as happy as Jude was to see his Grandpa, it seemed like everyone else was upset. For a few seconds, nobody said anything. They just gave Grandpa those awful looks. Dad and Papa seemed confused and highly agitated, Clarence was completely lost, Bobby and Crowley were giving Grandpa flat expressions of distaste, Michael was frozen in shock – but Lucifer appeared to become more like the 'Devil' in that moment than Jude had ever seen. Lucifer was furious at Grandpa; nearly fuming with glowing eyes and squared shoulders. And, oddly enough, it looked like _uncle Gabe_ was on the same page. Still, even though all of the hatred and glares were directed at him, Grandpa Chuck continued to wear a soft and gentle smile; the same that Jude remembered from his youth. His bright blue eyes met Jude's through the crowd and he gave a small nod.

“I told you. Higher than Superman, remember?” he reminded sweetly, “I knew you could do it.”

Jude felt his own smile flicker wider on his face. He did, in fact, remember Grandpa telling him that he would fly higher than Superman one day. He just didn't actually think it was true... Though Grandpa's words were meant for Jude, the rest of the family took it as an invitation to the conversation.

“No thanks to _you_ ,” Crowley sneered, “Tell me, Alpha and Omega, do you always ignore the desperate prayers of your family when they're in mortal danger?”

“Yeah! Where the hell have you been?!” Gabriel nearly shouted, pointing toward Jude, “This kid _needed_ you _hours_ ago! Dean and Cas were praying their asses off to you and you just, what? Show up after the dust clears to tell him 'good job'? What the hell, Dad! _Darkness could have killed him!_ ”

“There's no use in talking to him, Gabriel,” Lucifer growled, “The second you question his decisions, he'll throw you into a pit for all eternity.”

Jude shot a glare toward his uncles, feeling angrily defensive of his Grandfather. How could they talk to Grandpa Chuck like that? He was God! The Creator of all things! Lucifer started to walk toward Grandpa but Michael caught him by the arm.

“Lucifer. Don't,” Michael breathed in a warning tone.

“Michael, you stay the hell out of this one!” the devil spat, ripping his arm free and turning back to Grandpa, “Here we are again, old man. You, me, and the brink of humanity's destruction. Only this time, it's _your_ fault. _You_ let this happen. What do you have to say for yourself, huh? Better yet, what do you have to say to these naïve children of yours who actually thought that you would show up? Look at Castiel's face and explain how you could cause that devastation and betrayal. Go on. Look him in the eye and tell him how you would rather watch him _suffer his own child's death_ before you would even step in and help -”

“ _Hey!_ ” Jude shouted.

The teenage boy flew from the ground to stand between his Grandpa and Lucifer. Some fiercely protective surge of energy threw him into action, and he was suddenly glaring at the devil in front of him.

“I'm not dead,” Jude pointed out, actually gesturing toward his own chest where his heart was still beating inside, “We're all still here and Darkness is gone. It doesn't matter how it happened -”

“Yes it does. You wouldn't have had to deal with Darkness at all if _he_ would have just stepped in for you,” Lucifer argued, tossing a glare to Grandpa over Jude's shoulder, “but no. He just washed his hands of you and left you to fend for yourself -”

“ _He was there!_ ” Jude fought, feeling his own grace threatening to burst free as he took two giant stomps toward Lucifer, “Just because you couldn't see him doesn't mean he wasn't there with me. With all of us. You might not choose to see it that way, but that's the way it is. You can't turn your back on him and then say that he left you. That's not on him. He never stops loving anyone. Not even _you_. Maybe you should examine your faith before you start pointing fingers.”

“ _Faith_ ,” Lucifer scoffed, “I can't believe a teenager is giving _me_ a sermon on faith right now.”

“Someone needed to,” Jude mumbled bitingly, narrowing his eyes.

A gentle hand rose up to rest on Jude's shoulder and he turned around to see Grandpa's face. The warm glow of sunset was still giving him that shiny aura, which made his blue eyes stand out against the golden background.

“It's alright, Jude,” Grandpa hummed, “This argument has been coming for a long time.”

Though Jude still felt frustrated with Lucifer, he honored his Grandpa's comment and backed down. The teenagers' shoulders lowered and he slowly stepped out of the way, letting Grandpa take center stage. In the meantime, more and more clouds disappeared from the sky and the dim sunlight revealed everyone's faces. Jude looked among his family kneeling near the ground and felt very blessed in that moment. Everyone he ever loved was there.

“What would you like to hear?” Grandpa Chuck asked quietly.

“Let's start with where the hell you've been,” Gabriel spat.

“And follow it up with the reason why you didn't help my son when he was possessed by freaking Darkness,” Dad growled.

Jude was honestly shocked to hear his own dad speak to Grandpa so rudely. Did he not remember that talk the three of them had when Jude was little? Or that Grandpa was the one that married him and Papa? Miraculously, Grandpa seemed to take the harsh questions in stride. His blue eyes flickered to Gabriel, where he smiled brightly.

“I've been right here. The whole time. With you,” Grandpa answered.

“Don't feed us that bullshit,” Lucifer snapped, “You did what you always do best. You abandoned us until the work was done and then you -”

“I never abandoned anyone,” Grandpa interrupted, “Not even you, Lucifer. I spent all that time in the cage with you, too; hearing your groaning prayers of spitefulness and anguish directed toward me. You think I don't see or hear you, but I'm with you every step of the way.”

“Then why don't you ever prove it, eh?” uncle Gabe asked, still holding a glare, “Why don't you ever answer us? Or show up when we need you?”

“I do answer you,” Grandpa replied, “Just not in the way you expect to be answered. And I am there when you need me. You just choose not to see it that way.”

“Is this some more of that 'Mysterious ways' shit?” uncle Bobby huffed.

Grandpa chuckled a bit, making his bearded cheeks rise with his smile.

“If that's what you want to call it, sure,” he hummed.

“Answer Dean,” Papa demanded as he rose to his feet, his eyes tamer and more suspicious now, “Why did you allow Darkness to consume our son?”

Jude actually turned to see Grandpa's face on that question, too. Being possessed by Darkness was probably the hardest thing Jude ever went through. And while he had faith that Grandpa and all the people he loved were with him, he was just as curious to know the answer to Papa's inquiry. Grandpa actually looked at Jude before he spoke again. His eyes were softer and his smile was a little dimmer.

“Because... Jude was the only one who could end Darkness,” he answered, eyes fixed on Jude the whole time.

The mere weight of his Grandfather's statement made Jude's heart feel full. Really? Jude was the only one that could get rid of Darkness? But, that couldn't be right. Why couldn't Grandpa just do it? He was God. He could do anything. Everyone else seemed to be thinking the same thing because they were all slowly standing up and tilting their heads.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Dad asked.

“I'm talking about your son. And how powerful he is,” Grandpa explained, his sight bouncing around all the faces, “Love is more than just an emotion, you know. It's an action; a verb. I knew that since Jude was _made_ from love – born of it, raised in it, and ultimately exudes it – he would be able to wield it like a weapon. And love itself was the only weapon that would ever stand against Darkness. Though we owe much to Jude for acting it out, all of you had a hand in its destruction, simply because you were willing to love and support him.”

Jude's heart thumped hard in his chest. His Grandpa was right. Jude wouldn't have been able to burn out the Darkness if his family wasn't there. If Jude didn't hear Jessie's prayers, the sound of everyone singing, or Clarence's amazing voice, Jude probably would have given up... Still, some of the family didn't seem convinced by what Grandpa was saying. Especially not Lucifer.

“Love? Really?” he huffed, “Look, you might be able to fill your books with that 'love is all you need' mumbo-jumbo, but it doesn't work on us, okay? We know better than to believe that horseshit.”

“You don't speak for all of us, Lucifer,” Michael muttered afterward.

The devil spun around to face his brother with a look of shock, as if he was surprised that Michael – once again – didn't agree with him. Jude was glad to see that uncle Gabe was taking Michael's side too, physically sliding closer to him and away from Lucifer.

“We all just took part in a miracle,” Michael reminded, “You just witnessed the destruction of Darkness itself, something that not even _we_ were capable of succeeding in, and yet you still -”

“ _Erras, frater_ ,” Lucifer shouted, “We couldn't succeed in something that was doomed to fail from the start! He planned this all out! He _wanted_ it to happen this way!”

“Yes! And look what it has done,” Michael argued, pausing to gesture to the huddle of Winchesters and clear sunset sky beyond them, “We are all still here. Earth still exists and humanity will continue to thrive, thanks to the actions of everyone present. Including you.”

“Me?! I had nothing to do with - !”

“You dropped Jude into the clutches of Darkness,” Michael interrupted with a raised eyebrow, “Jude wouldn't have been possessed if it weren't for your hasty decision, and in turn, he defeated it from within. Brother, you played a part in this whether you like it or not."

Being told that he helped defeat Darkness without knowing it seemed to only piss Lucifer off more. His hands tightened into fists at his sides and his eyes flared into a brighter shade of red. The devil spun his piercing stare toward Grandpa Chuck and gritted his teeth.

“So _this_ is what you kept me around for?” he asked, “All those centuries locked up in a cage... wondering why you didn't just kill me... thinking maybe it was just a time-out... but no. You just wanted to use me as another pawn in your chess game...”

Pure heartache flashed across Grandpa's face and Jude could almost feel the pain himself. It obviously hurt Grandpa to hear Lucifer say those things.

“Lucifer, you are _my son_. I created you so that I could _love_ you,” Grandpa replied, “You are not, never were, and never will be a pawn. You are my morning star; meant to be a light to all others. I had plans to prosper you, not fail you... But with your freewill, you chose to take a separate path. I'd hoped this experience might help you realize that you don't have to hold onto your bitterness. I guess time will tell if it worked.”

Lucifer's glare lightened to a mild scowl.

“How about I tell you right now?” he sneered, “No. It didn't. You can go screw yourself for all I care.”

Again, Jude was angered by the devil's mean comments toward his Grandfather. But since Grandpa didn't seem to mind it, Jude kept himself under control. With Lucifer pouting angrily, Grandpa turned his attention to the archangel in the denim jacket and his smile grew.

“Michael,” he beamed.

“Father,” Michael replied, humbly bowing his head, “I did my best...”

“I know,” Grandpa nodded.

He started to walk closer toward the crowd of people, heading between Michael and Gabriel. Everyone kept their eyes on him as if they were magnetically connected to his divinity. Grandpa paused next to his eldest son and reached up to pat his shoulder.

“I think all this hard work calls for a reward, don't you?” he smiled.

In the blink of an eye, the entire family was standing back inside Bobby's house. Jude blinked and looked around, seeing everyone standing the exact same way they were outside, only now they were in the study – surrounding Adam's hospital bed. The room was quiet with the exception of the gentle 'beep's of the medical machines. Grandpa turned away from Michael to look down at the unconscious man on the bed with a smirk.

“Adam,” he called.

Jude turned around just in time to see Adam's eyes fly open. The young guy on the hospital bed, who had been pretty much a vegetable since the moment Jude met him, was suddenly animated; reaching up to pull the vent out of his own mouth and take the oxygen tube from around his head. He removed everything in a surprised scuffle, as if he was clawing his way out of some nightmarish forest. With all the machines off, Adam sucked in a huge breath and raised to his elbows, where he looked around at everyone in total bewilderment. Jude was amazed. Grandpa fully restored Adam's health just by speaking his name...

“Wh... what's going on? Where am I?” Adam questioned.

Of course, Michael was the first one to get to Adam's bedside. The archangel – now wearing the biggest smile that Jude had ever seen – flew across the room to sit down next to him on the bed and reach for his hand.

“It's alright, Adam,” Michael breathed, smile wide and eyes shimmering, “You're fine. Don't worry. I'm going to take care of you.”

Jude watched their interaction with a smile of his own, seeing Adam look down at their joined hands with studious eyes. The guy raised his head to look at Michael's face again afterward, this time with an expression of realization.

“... Michael?” he asked.

The archangel in the denim jacket nodded and traced his thumb across the back of Adam's hand. The subtly romantic gesture made Jude look up to see Clarence across the room. The handsome demon was watching the loving scene play out in front of them too, timidly peeking out from behind uncle Sam's shoulder like he didn't want to get caught staring.

“But... How did you get your own body? I thought we were in the cage and...” Adam trailed off, his sight flickering around the room as he held onto Michael's hand, “We're not in hell anymore?”

“No, Adam. I brought you back to Earth,” Michael informed.

As he looked among the people, Adam's eyes fell on Lucifer – and Jude was sure that he was going to have a panic attack. Adam gasped and scrambled closer to Michael on the hospital bed, nearly throwing himself into the archangel's arms.

“ _He's here too!_ ” Adam hissed in a terrified whisper as he squeezed his eyes shut, “ _Tell me this isn't the cage, Mike! Tell me!_ ”

“It's not,” Michael promised quietly, petting the back of Adam's head as he hugged him, “The cage is gone, Adam. And Lucifer will never harm you again.”

Jude glanced at his uncle Lucifer, because he had a feeling that the devil would say something offhand about Michael's oath to keep Adam safe from him. But Lucifer only rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. The devil seemed more focused on Grandpa standing next to him than he did about his past cellmates... On the hospital bed, Adam eventually gained the courage to raise his head again, though he kept his eyes on Michael's face. The younger man took hold of the front of the archangel's jacket and rested their foreheads together.

“Home... I want to go home,” Adam requested.

Michael tenderly cupped Adam's cheek and smiled.

“Of course, my love. I'll take you there myself,” he obliged, speaking so low that Jude could hardly hear him.

After stamping Adam's forehead with a quick kiss, Michael shifted around to stand up and help Adam climb off of the bed. The guy in the hospital gown stood up and clung to Adam easily, as if he hadn't been laying in bed for eleven years. The beeping machines lay forgotten behind them as Michael and Adam stood together. The archangel held the younger man close as he met eyes with Grandpa across the room. Though he didn't say anything, a very powerful 'thank you' was clearly stated in his eyes. There was an unspoken agreement between them too, like Grandpa was giving Michael full permission to do whatever he wanted. Grandpa's loving smile widened and he waved a hand.

“Don't forget to pray every now and then,” he mentioned with a wink.

Michael bowed his head and smiled back before wrapping both arms around Adam and flying away. Both of them disappeared with a rustle of wings and a slight draft, leaving everyone else standing in the same room that another miracle was performed in. Again, no one seemed to know what to say. Until Lucifer swaggered forward that is.

“So that's it, huh?” he spat, “I get a lecture about faith and Michael has all of his dreams come true? And you say _I_ pick favorites...”

Jude rolled his eyes. Ugh, why couldn't Lucifer go five minutes without whining about things being 'unfair'? Wasn't he listening to anything that was being said? Instead of answering Lucifer's sassy remark right away, Grandpa raised his hand – and everyone was suddenly standing outside again. Oddly enough, Jude didn't even feel the sickening inertia from flying. When Grandpa transferred them to a new place, Jude felt great even after he landed. Now, he looked around to see where they had gone, and found Dad's Impala staring him in the face. Overhead, the sky was almost totally clear, making everything visible with the sinking sun. Clare's motorcycle was still parked next to Dad's car, uncle Bobby's truck was still across the parking lot with Jude's new blue Impala on the trailer behind it, the birthday decorations were still ruffling off the picnic table in the breeze, and even the cake sat untouched. Everything was just the way they left it. It was almost like Jude's birthday hadn't been canceled, just postponed.

As soon as he found himself in such a familiar and comforting environment, Jude stepped closer to his parents and Clare. Jude was proud of his boyfriend for being able to take everything in without question. Though he had never really met Jude's Grandpa, Clarence still respected him like a patriarch. Jude took his hand once they were close enough, silently stating his gratitude.

Everyone took a moment to look around the scene. The ground here was the same as it was at Bobby's house; cracked and jagged, like the Earth itself had started to crumble. Some of the playground equipment nearby had even been swallowed up into a sink hole. But even as they stood there, parts of the ground started to move back into place. Trees slowly stood up straighter, mounds of Earth filled holes back in, power lines reconnected themselves, and a bundle of balloons even bounced back to the picnic table and reattached to the corner. Jude and his family watched in amazement as everything began to right itself, while Grandpa beamed at them a few feet away. He was, obviously, restoring his creation to the way it was supposed to be. But even though he was standing inside _yet another_ miracle, Lucifer remained displeased.

“You always were a showoff,” the devil muttered toward his father.

Grandpa turned to give Lucifer a smile.

“Well, you had to have learned it from somewhere I guess,” he winked.

Lucifer only gave Grandpa a flat look. But Jude could tell that Grandpa Chuck really wanted to have a genuine conversation with Lucifer. Grandpa eventually brought his full attention to his second born son and let out a great sigh.

“So. You want to rule Heaven?” he began casually.

Hearing Grandpa mention Lucifer's earlier deal with Michael seemed to surprise everyone; especially Jude and Jess's parents. Dad, Papa, Sam, and Gabe all snapped their eyes to Grandpa at once.

“He wants to _what_?” uncle Sam breathed in distress.

But Lucifer and Grandpa continued their conversation as if neither one of them heard the interruption.

“I could do it better than you, that's for sure,” the devil grumbled.

“I don't know if I can agree with you on that,” Grandpa sighed, searching Lucifer's face, “Heaven might be a mess right now, but your history of cruel intentions toward humanity leads me to believe that you would only make things worse. Heaven is a place for souls to rest, not a source of power to be fought over.”

Lucifer scoffed again, letting out a sarcastic chuckle. But Grandpa's face softened even in the presence of his son's criticism.

“But it is your home,” Grandpa Chuck pointed out, “I might not be able to let you rule it, but I would be more than happy to take you back.”

Jude assumed that Lucifer would have something rude to say; maybe mention the fact that he was thrown out of Heaven and wouldn't want to go back. But, to his surprise, Lucifer actually seemed to be contemplating the arrangement. The devil took a step back on the flattening ground and rubbed his chin, letting his eyes flicker away as he pondered his Father's offer. Jude really hoped that Grandpa knew what he was doing. If Lucifer got up to Heaven and somehow got on that throne, things would probably be way worse... After a moment, Lucifer raised his head and dropped his arms.

“I guess if I don't agree to go with you, you'd throw me back in a cage or something... Fine,” he reluctantly agreed, “Going back to Heaven is better than being stuck here on this rock with hairless apes...”

Though Lucifer didn't sound very enthusiastic, Grandpa still smiled brightly. He was clearly pleased that he would be taking his child back to home with him. Still, Jude was skeptical about the deal. The devil didn't even ask for any conditions or terms, which was highly uncharacteristic of him...

With Lucifer settled, Grandpa turned to face the Winchesters again. By now, their surroundings were nearly perfect; everything nestled back into its rightful place. Hints of pride and affection danced across Grandpa's face and it made Jude feel warm.

“I'm proud of all of you,” he said, gesturing to the lot of them all as they stared back at him, “Perseverance through hardship is one of my most favored aspects, and all of you wear it with vigor. 'Always keep fighting', isn't that right?”

Jude grinned and nodded along with his whole family, glad that God himself could see their strong willpower. With a nod of his own, Grandpa stepped forward to meet Jude in particular. He subtly singled him out, locking their eyes.

“Thank you, Jude, for having faith in me, even when no one else did,” God said quietly.

Jude's cheeks flared with heat, feeling everyone's eyes on him. The teenager coughed a little and shrugged.

“Y – you're welcome,” he mumbled bashfully.

Grandpa winked and held out his hand, offering Jude the chance to shake it. Though he was a little embarrassed about being the center of attention, Jude carefully let go of Clarence's hand so that he could take hold of Grandpa's – and as soon as their hands touched, Jude's eyes closed and his mind was suddenly filled with visions. _Flashes of things he hadn't seen yet; future birthdays, holidays, weddings. Ollie's mom dancing with him at his and Jessie's wedding, while Jessie danced with both of her Dads at the same time. Clarence playing his guitar on the floor of the house that they were moving into. Jess waddling around with a baby bump and complaining about craving candy while she ate handfuls of Skittles. Papa tearing up and being hesitant to let go of Jude when it was his turn to go to the altar with Clarence. Dad and Papa kissing under a mistletoe on Christmas, making everyone 'boo' and giggle. Sam and Gabe still arguing over the water slide in the bunker. Faces of his nieces and nephews that had strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes – and two small, precious faces that had Clare's blonde hair and Jude's blue eyes. A boy and a girl. Twins. The last vision that Jude was able to fully see was Clarence holding one in each arm, gently swaying with the two infants as he sweetly hummed 'Hey Jude' to them at bedtime..._

When Grandpa's hand released Jude's, the teenager blinked his eyes open in surprise. From the look of private delight on Grandpa's face, Jude gathered that he had given him a glimpse of the future on purpose. Maybe as a way of letting him know that everything was going to be alright, and that better things were coming. Jude was in such a state of overwhelming joy and shock that he didn't know what to say. There were so many good things in his future. In everyone's future.

“I'll see you again soon, Jude. Just not the way you expect it,” Grandpa promised with another wink.

Jude was pretty much frozen in place and barely aware that Grandpa was backing up to join Lucifer until they were both gone. God and Lucifer vanished together from the spot they were standing, leaving the Winchesters back at the birthday party that they were pulled from days before.

Jude eventually turned his sight to his boyfriend and couldn't stop the water rising up in his eyes. Oh, he wanted to tell Clarence so badly about everything he just saw; about the weddings and the babies and the amazing future that was in store for them... But he didn't want to spoil the surprise. Maybe this was how Jessie felt sometimes. Still, Clarence looked concerned about Jude's tearful expression.

“What's the matter, Jay?” he asked, reaching up to pat Jude's shoulder.

“N – nothing,” Jude breathed, “I'm just... happy.”

Even though Jude's reply was cryptic, Clarence nodded and smiled. Behind them, uncle Gabe was the first to move from their family formation. He stumbled up to the picnic table and gazed at the untouched birthday cake like it was a pile of gold.

“ _Caaake!_ ” he cried with a smile, “We waded through miles of Purgatory and Darkness, and _this_ is our reward!”

“Gabe, that cake's been sitting out here for days. It's probably not any go -”

“I don't care!” Gabe interrupted Sam's comments by shaking his head, “We're gonna eat this cake whether you like it or not, Moose!”

“Hold on,” Dad called, jogging up to stop Gabe from digging into the cake with his bare hands, “That's still Jude's birthday cake, and no one gets to touch it until he blows the candles out.”

Disgruntled protests came from Gabriel, Ollie, and Dickie, but Dad was determined to make sure Jude blew out his candles. Even though it wasn't really his birthday anymore. Everyone present looked a little worse for the wear, with dirty clothes, messy hair, and bags under their eyes. But they gathered at the picnic table anyway, putting on smiles. While Dad lit the candles with his lighter, Jude looked around at all the faces he loved and felt more whole in that moment then he ever did before. He was so glad that he kept fighting the Darkness. He was so glad that he never gave up, because now he had what he always wanted; all of his loving family together in one place.

“Okay, little man,” Dad muttered as he pushed the cake forward, “Make a wish.”

Jude braced both hands on the table and stared down at his Superman cake, where the lit candles cast a faint glow on the red and blue icing. What could he possibly wish for? He already had everything he ever wanted. Maybe he could just wish for things to stay this way forever... The teenager closed his eyes and blew out his candles with a single gust of breath. Everyone clapped and cheered afterward – and Gabriel instantly started chopping the cake up and passing out pieces.

“Papa,” Jessie said as she looked down at her piece, “Are you sure it's a good idea to eat this?”

“It's cake, honeydew,” Gabe said, finally getting his own piece, “Don't worry, it's safe. I 'blessed' it.”

Though Jess was skeptical, nothing stopped uncle Gabe from digging into his slice. He all but inhaled it, crumbles and all. Uncle Sam only rolled his eyes at his husband's over-the-top behavior.

“Mmm! Holy moose antlers, that tastes better than sex,” Gabriel praised, which warranted a nudge of disapproval from uncle Sam.

“Yeah, it kinda does,” Ollie mumbled in agreement.

Jude nearly gasped at his friend's comment. What? How did Ollie know what 'sex' tasted like? Was he just being nice by agreeing... or did he lose his virginity during the Darkness fiasco, like Jude did? Uncle Sam probably wondered the same thing too, because he nearly choked on his own cake before spinning to stare Ollie down.

“ _What did you say?!_ ” he asked, his tone loud and harsh.

Ollie gulped and shrunk away, glancing anywhere but at uncle Sam. His face was nearly as red as his hair and he took a few steps back.

“Uh – um, I... I said...” he stuttered nervously, “I, uh, need to use the bathroom..?”

Before Sam could even take in another breath to speak, Ollie was gone; dashing across the park to get to the bathrooms near by. Sam tossed down his plate of cake and was about to go after him when Gabe caught him by the arm.

“Let it go, Samsquatch,” the archangel purred, his mouth covered in cake.

Jude bit down a smile and shared a glance with Clarence, who seemed just as amused by the situation. The handsome demon shook his head as he snapped open a can of soda and held it to his lips.

“Oh yeah. Carrot-top's a dead man for sure,” he smirked before taking a drink.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it looks like things can finally get back to normal from here. (If things were ever normal. Lol) :) I really hope that you guys are okay with how everyone reacted to Chuck and vise versa. 'Chuck' is a touchy and personal subject for everyone, so I totally understand if you didn't agree with this chapter. I will point out, though, that Lucifer's 'willingness' to go with Chuck to Heaven near the end might have been – how can I put this... A ruse? ;) (This is the last story for the Purpose Series, but I'm leaving plot-holes just in case I want to keep going with a new one. Gotta plan ahead. Lol) XD The 'Enochian' that Lucifer said in this chapter translates as “Wrong, brother.” in Latin. (Because, again, Enochian translators won't work with me. Lol) :) Well, folks, our time is close to wrapping up. There are two chapters left; one is the end of 'Faith' and the last is an epilogue for the whole thing. (Omg, it's so close to being finished! Chuck save me!) :( Thank you all sooo much for reading and reviewing! I hope you will stick around til the very end. :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)


	14. Chapter 14

After all of the traumatic, devastating, triumphant, amazing things that happened to her in such a short time, Jessica was left in a daze. She figured it was her body's way of trying to cope with everything; losing her parents, getting them back, losing Jude, getting him back, fighting with Lucifer, fighting with Darkness, fighting with her own fear... It had been a very trying experience, one that she wasn't sure how to get over. Would things just go back to normal? Grandpa Chuck was able to fix the Earth and take away the rest of the darkness, but what about this weight on Jess's mind? Who was going to take that away?

“Jess? Are you okay?”

Jessica raised her head at the sound of Ollie's gentle whisper. Once again, she was brought back out of her thoughts and returned to the present moment. Jessica was sitting in the back seat of the Impala with Ollie, Dickie, and her Papa, while Dad drove and Ms. Jane sat next to him in the front. They were taking Ms. Jane back to her store in Lebanon, where her vehicle was still parked. Though Dad was the one driving, he still kept a close eye on Oliver; stealing lots of suspicious glances at him in the rear view mirror. Jess knew that it was because of the comment Ollie made earlier about sex. Luckily, Papa was able to calm him down and convince him that Ollie was just joking – even though he wasn't. Their first time in Chicago was still a well-kept secret between them.

Ollie's mom must have been feeling the same blandness that Jess did, because she didn't say much during the trip, which was pretty unusual. Jane was always a social butterfly in any situation, but maybe everything that happened had affected her, too. Was the Darkness too scary for her? Was Grandpa too intimidating? Were Michael and Lucifer too much for her to handle? Which part of the Winchesters' celestial lives was the most shocking to Ms. Jane? Though it intrigued Jess, she didn't ask. She figured it was a little too soon to strike up a conversation about it right now.

A warm hand slid on top of Jess's, bringing her attention back to the red haired boy by her side. Even in the midst of all this chaos, Ollie still had that soft, comforting look on his freckled face. If there was one thing that Jess admired most about Oliver, it was his ironclad resilience. He was able to adapt quickly to anything and Jessie really wished that she could do the same. The teenage girl adjusted herself in the seat before finding her voice.

“... I'll be okay,” she eventually mumbled.

Ollie, probably sensing that she was just trying to put him at ease, tilted his head with a tiny frown.

“I know, but... If you need some one to talk to, I'm right here,” he reminded, “I'm not going anywhere.”

For the first time in a while, Jessica felt a genuine smile return to her own face. The idea of having Ollie at her side for the rest of her life was such a comforting notion. Waking up to red hair and freckles everyday sounded like the best thing in the world.

“Good,” she replied, “I'm not going anywhere either.”

“Good,” he smiled back.

Jessie searched his handsome face for a few seconds, tracing the constellations of tiny brown spots on his cheeks and around his cocoa eyes before leaning over to rest her head on his shoulder. The sweet smell of his cloth jacket instantly put her mind at ease.

When they got to Jane's clothing store, Jessica realized just how much things had changed – or, rather, stayed the same. The road outside, though it had been broken and cracked the last time Jess saw it, was now back to normal. Ms. Jane's store, the buildings surrounding it, parking meters, streetlights, cars, windows; everything was back to the way it was supposed to be. The drastic change seemed to surprise Ms. Jane too, because she leaned forward to look out the windshield in wonder.

“It... it was much different before,” she mentioned quietly.

“Yeah,” Papa sighed from the backseat as he rested a forearm on the front, “That's my old man, for ya. He makes stuff happen.”

It seemed like Jane didn't know how to respond. She kept quiet even after hearing Papa's calming voice. When the Impala rolled to a stop, Jess raised her head from Ollie's shoulder to see the store next to them. The power was, of course, back on inside. Since the sun was setting, the glow from in the store illuminated the sidewalk. Luckily, there was no one else around and Jess was glad. She kind of worried that someone might break into the store while Ms. Jane wasn't there.

After parking near the curb, Dad got out and walked around to help Ms. Jane to her feet. Ollie escorted Jess out too, and everyone met at the front of the store. Anyone could tell just from the looks of Jane's dirty dress and messy hair that she had a rough few days. But still, there was a hopeful look in her eyes. Jessica would recognize it anywhere, because it was the same shiny twinkle of hope that Jane passed down to Ollie...

“Jane,” Dad began, walking up to rest a hand on her shoulder, “I know this has been a lot for you to take in. I'm – I'm sorry we didn't tell you about all of this before -”

“No, it's okay,” Jane interrupted with a shrug, even though her voice was kind of high, “Every family has secrets... At least some of yours are good ones... Not everyone is so lucky...”

Jessica could tell just from the tone of Jane's hollow voice that she was thinking about something awful. Curious, Jess turned to look at Ollie, hoping that he would provide an answer, and found him frowning a bit. Though he didn't say a word, Jessica figured that he was thinking of his dad. Eddie had probably done something – many things, by the look on Ollie and Jane's faces – that hurt their family. Dad and Papa must have sensed it too, because they gave each other a woeful glance.

“Jane,” Papa said, stepping forward with his hand out, “I don't know if you know this, but I can do some pretty cool things too. Changing memories being one of them,” he paused to let some of his golden grace shine in his hand, “If you want, I can doctor you up to where you won't have to remember this weird experience.”

Everyone looked to Jane afterward, waiting to see what she would say. Jessica figured that it would be easier for her if Papa did change her memories. She could wake up under the impression that the Winchesters were just normal people again, never knowing that they were actually hunters and angels. Jane stared at Papa's glowing hand for a few seconds before stepping forward and reaching out for it. She took his hand and very gently rolled his fingers up, balling up his glow and pushing it back toward his chest.

“Gracias, Gabriel, but I don't want to forget anything,” she denied sweetly.

Jess smiled at her beautiful future mother-in-law, feeling empowered by her choice. It was somehow relieving to know that Jane would rather keep the hard truth than to live in blissful ignorance. Papa and Dad shared a smile.

“Fine by us,” Papa shrugged, “Do you need any help with the store, or -?”

“No, Oliver and I can manage,” she replied, looking to her red-haired son, “Calabaza, let's close up and head home.”

Jessica instantly turned toward her boyfriend. She had been with Ollie so much over the past few days that the thought of leaving him made her a little anxious. What if something else happened while they were apart? What if Darkness came back? Or Lucifer returned to harass her? What if she needed Ollie when he wasn't there? When he saw the look on Jess's face, Ollie wrapped her into a quick and tight hug. She clung to his torso too, not wanting to let go.

“It's okay, Jess. I'll see you tomorrow,” he promised, speaking against her ear through the curtain of her blonde hair, “I love you so much.”

Jessie gulped and closed her eyes, briefly breathing in the smell of her boyfriend's warm clothes.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

Though she really wanted to kiss him on the mouth, Jessica restrained herself and only kissed his cheek. She didn't want her parents to see it; especially not Dad, who was still on the fence about the whole 'sex' comment earlier. Ollie let go and winked afterward, a subtle way of saying that he was thinking the same thing, before giving her hand a squeeze and turning to join his mother. Ms. Jane held onto Ollie's jacket sleeve as she led the way into her store. Jessie watched them both go, realizing that it was soon just her, her parents, and their dog standing on the side walk.

“Do you think she'll be okay?” Dad asked Papa.

“The chick lived through 'Eddie-pocolypse', kiddo,” Papa reminded with a sigh, “Pretty sure she's got this one handled too.”

Jessie didn't say anything, but she was listening. Her ears were absorbing her parents' voices while she stared at Ollie and Jane from the street. It wasn't until she heard Dad sigh loudly that she finally turned around.

“Jessica?”

At the sound of her name, Jess raised her head to look at her parents. Dad and Papa were standing side-by-side, leaning up against the Impala with small smiles.

“Hey,” Papa began, “I just want you to know that we're super proud of you, Sunshine.”

Jessica felt like tearing up with sadness. Proud? How could they be proud when all she did was mess things up? None of this would have happened if she just stood up to Darkness herself or prayed to Jude a little sooner. All of this heartbreak might have been avoided if she would have been stronger. Jess slowly shook her head.

“I could have done better,” she muttered, feeling tears press at the back of her eyes, “I could have done so much more, but I didn't -”

“Jessica, you did _great_ ,” Dad interrupted, standing up from the Impala to walk toward her with a look of concern, “Honey, you helped defeat Darkness without us even being here. You did more than some hunters would ever dream of doing.”

Jessica didn't want to believe the sweet things her Dad was saying because she felt it wasn't true. She was a coward when it came to Darkness. Jude was much stronger than her. Dad seemed to notice that she wasn't agreeing with him, because he took a deep breath and reached out for her hand. It was so small inside of his.

“Hey, do you remember when you were little, and you kept telling me that you wanted to be a hunter?” he asked.

Jess nodded. Of course she remembered.

“I didn't want you to have a job like this because I thought it was too dangerous... Well, guess what?” Dad smiled, “It turns out you've been a hunter all along. You know when to fight and when to stand down. You know how to help people, even through prayer. You have a light in you that shines brighter than anyone else I know. I've seen it since the day you were born... So, Jessica, please believe us when we say that we are proud of you. No one is as sweet, kind, and amazing as you are.”

This time, the tears actually leaked from Jess's eyes. But not because she was sad, but because she felt overwhelmingly _loved_. With a tiny sniffle, Jess walked into her Dad's arms, burying herself into the safety of his giant embrace. Dad hugged her back and kissed the top of her head, and she could feel Papa's shorter arms wrap around her back too. Dickie's bark eventually broke them up. It was his 'I want to be included' bark. Papa knelt down and picked up the little dog to give him a few pats.

“Yeah, yeah. We're proud of you too, Dickster,” Papa smiled.

Jess giggled a little. Oh, Dickie. Always wanting to be the center of attention. Jess and Dad pet Dickie too, making his tail blur back and forth. Dad sighed and turned back to the Impala.

“We better get going, guys. Dean's gonna want this car back,” he reminded.

Jessie started to walk toward the back door of the Impala when Papa caught her by the arm. Jess turned around to look at her angelic father, wondering what he needed. There was a slightly stern look on his face.

“By the way,” he began, his voice low enough so that only she could hear, “Dickie told me about what happened with you and the gingerbread man...”

Blood slowly drained from Jessica's face as she blinked at her Papa. Oh, no! Dickie told Papa about them having sex?! Wait, how could he even do that?! He was a dog! At first, Jess was afraid that Papa was really mad... but then, a huge grin flashed across his face and he held up his hand for a high five.

“ _Nice!_ ” he nearly chuckled.

Jess felt a smile of her own slowly rise as she timidly reached up to high five her Papa. At least _one_ of her parents was excited about her getting to experience grown-up stuff. After the shared giggle, Papa pulled her in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek before escorting her back to the car, smiling all the way.

* * *

Jude shifted around on the edge of the kitchen table, trying to relieve the ache in the back of his thighs. He had been standing there for at least ten minutes with Papa's glowing hands attached to his head. Pop said that he wanted to use his grace to make sure that no Darkness was left inside Jude's mind after the big fight, but Jude knew Papa was just double checking because he was worried. Papa had always been extra worried for Jude, even before the Darkness thing. But Jude didn't mind the added attention. He knew that Darkness was gone and wanted Papa to see the proof for himself.

While they stood at the bunker kitchen table, Dad, Clarence, Bobby and Crowley were around them. Bobby and Crowley were at the coffee maker at the counter – talking about how Grandpa Chuck always came to save the day – but Dad and Clarence were watching Jude and Papa like hawks, waiting to hear Papa's assessment of Jude's mind. Jude's eyes kept wandering over to meet Clare's pretty greenish-brown stare, finding comfort in the fact that he hadn't gone anywhere.

“Is it gone, Cas?” Dad eventually asked out loud.

Papa's glowing hands slowly released Jude's head and lowered to his sides, letting Jude finally stand up straight and stretch his back. Though his blue eyes were still a little apprehensive, Papa sighed in defeat.

“It seems to be,” he mumbled, reaching up again to turn Jude's face toward him, “Do you feel anything out of the ordinary, son? Elevated body temperature? Excessive discomfort of any kind?”

“No, Pop. I'm fine,” Jude promised.

Though he took another breath, Papa still seemed unsure. He continued to hold onto Jude's face for a few seconds, cupping his cheeks with both hands and searching his eyes before pulling him closer for a full hug. Jude nestled his head against his Papa's trench coat, breathing in the familiar smell. Hugging Papa made Jude feel like he was going back in time to when he was just a little boy, safe from all the bad guys.

“I... I was very concerned for you, Jude,” Papa said quietly, low enough for only him, “I feared I would never hold you again...”

“Well you've got me now, Papa,” Jude reminded, patting his back for good measure, “I'm not going anywhere.”

Papa's arms tightened around him, squeezing him tenderly. Again, Jude remembered the few flashes of the future that Grandpa let him see; the tiny glimpses of their family being happy together for generations. He wanted to tell Papa about it all too, but like with Clarence, he thought it was best to let things happen on their own... Pop carefully let go and backed up enough to see Jude again. Behind him, Dad stepped forward with his arms crossed.

“You sure you're alright, buddy?” Dad asked suspiciously, like he was trying to cover up some insecurity, “It sounded like Darkness was some pretty rough stuff. Do you need to talk about anything? Need some pie?”

“No,” Jude politely declined with a little smile, “I'll be alright, Dad. Nothing I couldn't handle with you guys there.”

At the end of his sentence, Jude flashed another glance toward Clarence, because Clare was the main reason that Jude was able to hold on for so long. And Clare must have understood the subtle indication, because he smirked and winked back. Bobby and Crowley migrated closer to their group afterward. Bobby, with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand, tilted his hat up to look at Jude himself.

“Well, from that beautiful display of huntin', I'd say your middle name is pretty well earned, kid,” he joked.

“And you say _I'm_ vain, darling,” Crowley purred quietly with a grin.

Jude chuckled a little at his uncles' bickering. Man, he was so glad to be back with all the people he loved.

“At least your new birthday present is sittin' in the garage where it belongs,” Bobby mentioned with a shrug, “It'll probably take you fellas a lot of work to get her runnin', but it'll be worth it.”

A fresh smile graced Jude's face as he thought about his new car in the garage. Oh man, that's right! He still had a brand new car! Well, brand new to him, anyway. Clarence perked up at the mention of the car too, taking his hands out of his pockets and standing up straight.

“Here,” he said, offering his hand to Jude, “I wanna show you a few things about your car.”

Jude gulped as he glanced down at Clare's open hand. Though Clare's tone was serious, Jude wasn't sure if the guy was being flirty or not. Did he really want to show Jude something about the car? Did he just want to get away to talk or something? Or was he wanting to do something _else_? Dad must have caught it too, because he turned his narrowed eyes at Clare. But before his parents could protest, Jude grabbed Clarence's soft fingers and stepped toward the door.

“Be right back,” Jude mentioned on the way.

The two teenagers were out of the kitchen before their actions were questioned. It didn't matter to Jude why Clare wanted to be alone with him, because Jude wanted a minute to be alone with Clare too. There were a few things on his mind that he wanted to ask; things about what happened during the fight against Darkness. It felt like they had been separated for a long time and Jude didn't like it. Their footsteps echoed down the bunker halls as they walked, reminding Jude that they were all by themselves for the first time since... well, since their _first time_...

“You feeling okay, Jaybird?” Clare asked quietly, obviously keeping his voice down as not to disturb the silent atmosphere.

Jude thought that question was getting a bit old. How many more times was he going to have to answer it?

“Yeah, I'm okay,” Jude assured his boyfriend as they walked down the stairs to the garage, “How about you, Clare?”

Though he didn't exactly see what happened to Clarence during their fight against Darkness, Jude was sure that he got hurt somehow. But, as he did with every hardship in his life, Clare seemed to shrug it off.

“I've been through worse,” he admitted with a tiny smirk.

Though it was probably meant as a hopeful statement, Jude found Clare's comment a bit sad. Sure, it was good that he wasn't that affected by Darkness – but didn't that mean he had encountered something much worse before? Worse than _Darkness_ , the very thing that told Jude to kill himself over and over again? How could anything be worse than that? Though he wanted to bring all of this up, Jude stayed quiet as they made their way into the garage.

His new – but technically _old_ – Impala was still sitting on the trailer attached to Bobby's truck, protected by the tarp. Clarence led the way over and let go of Jude's hand so that he could roll down the covering, slowly revealing the faded blue paint and dusty windows. After the tarp was off, Clare climbed up on the trailer, opened the driver side door, and turned to hold out a hand to Jude. With his boyfriend's help, Jude climbed up on the trailer too, and followed him inside the front seat of his car for the first time.

The smell of worn upholstery, stale gasoline, and aged musk made Jude feel right at home. He was actually glad that his car didn't have that 'new car' smell. Bobby was right; everything about this car had character, from the old Scooby-Doo floor mats, to the brown leather steering wheel cover, to the wobbly gear shift and cracked rear view mirror... Jude's car reminded him of his dad's car; a vehicle that had been used and loved for so long that it had become a sanctuary.

“We had to rebuild the whole ignition,” Clarence pointed out, gesturing to the key hole, “but she'll at least turn over. And I fixed the radio for you, of course. Can't have a road trip without some tunes, right?”

Jude smiled widely and nodded, secretly enjoying the small 'tour' of his new car. Bobby and Clarence had put so much thought and effort into it already, and Jude thought it was the best gift in the world.

“Oh,” Clare muttered, leaning forward to open the glove box and reach inside, “I almost forgot...”

Jude watched closely as Clare retrieved a small object from inside and brought it to the rear view mirror. He was hanging something around it, but Jude couldn't tell what it was until Clarence moved his hands. It was a small, shiny superman figurine in mid flight, dangling on a string just above the radio. Jude blinked at the small version of his favorite hero in silent awe. That was a perfect addition to this already-perfect car.

“There,” Clare grinned, flicking Superman and making him zoom around in tiny circles, “Now it's complete.”

Jude swallowed a huge gulp as he turned to fully look at Clarence beside him. There were so many things that he wanted to say; so much gratitude and love that he wanted to give him. But all he could really do was stare into his emerald-chestnut eyes and struggle for words. Luckily, it seemed like Clarence wanted to talk too, because his smile faded a little and was replaced with seriousness.

“Hey,” he whispered, glancing down and letting his hand crawl across the seat to find Jude's again, “Thanks, uh... Thanks for not giving up on me. Thanks for sticking around. I know how hard it is to wade through hopeless shit and not know if you're gonna make it out on the other side, so... Thank you for being my light at the end of the tunnel.”

Jude immediately tightened his hand around Clare's, feeling his own eyes tingle with tears. Somehow, he felt like Clare had taken the words right out of his mouth. Jude was grateful for Clarence, too. But he was still curious. He wanted to know how Clare did it; how he fought Darkness so easily. Now was his chance to ask.

“Clare, how did you do it?” Jude mumbled, searching his face, “How did you face Darkness so fearlessly?”

“Fearlessly?” Clare scoffed, shaking his blonde head, “Jay, I was scared to death. It beat me up and threw my past in my face, trying to break me down... but every time I looked up, I saw _you_. And seeing you helped me keep fighting... God, I'm starting to sound like your parents...”

The smile returned to Jude's mouth at full power. Wow. Clarence was so honest and sweet; willing to do anything for Jude. Jude was so lucky to have him.

“I love you, Clare,” Jude reminded softly.

Clarence smiled that side-ways grin and leaned forward to find Jude's mouth. He planted a small, tender kiss on Jude's lips, bringing the smell of his hair closer to Jude's nose.

“I love you too, Superman,” Clare replied.

After the intimate exchange, the two of them nestled back into the silence of the front seat of the Impala. Again, Jude felt the urge to tell Clare about the vision Grandpa Chuck gave him; about their future together and everything – and every _one_ – included in it. But he still kept it to himself. Looking at Clarence's pretty face was enough of a reminder of the good things still to come.

There was a sudden tap on the window nearby.

Jude gasp and flinched, instantly spinning around to see who or what was outside the door. Through the dusty glass, Jude was able to see a tan trench coat and blue tie. The view made Clarence groan out loud.

“Really? They couldn't give us, like, five minutes?” he mumbled.

Jude understood his boyfriend's agitation with being interrupted by Dad and Papa, but he also knew that his parents were just as worried about him as Clare was. He could hear the muffled sounds of Dad arguing with Papa outside the door as he slid over in the seat to open it.

“ - time to be alone, Cas!” Dad hissed.

“I'm aware of that, Dean, but I still wish to provide him with comfort,” Papa whispered back.

When the driver door opened, Papa leaned over to peer inside the car. Dad was standing a few feet away, obviously trying to get Papa to leave Jude and Clare alone. But Papa was persistent. He was wearing a timid smile but his eyes were full of worry. Just like always...

“H – hello, son. I know that you are busy at the moment,” he began, pulling his hand out of his pocket to reveal that he was holding Bumble Bee, “but you – you went through a very traumatic experience and might still be in need of comfort. So I – I thought that you might like to hold your stuffed bee for a while, because it always relieved your distress when you were a child.”

An embarrassed sigh came from Dad a few feet away. His face was a little red and he was hiding it with his hand, but Papa was genuinely concerned. He gently offered Jude's old toy to him with a warm smile. At first, Jude thought it seemed like a silly gesture, because he was seventeen years old now, and didn't need a toy to help him feel better... but when he took the time to actually look down at the bee and take it from his Papa, a giant wave of nostalgia washed over him. Memories of holding onto Bumble Bee when he was afraid or upset flooded his mind and he was relieved. Whoa, Papa was right. Bumble Bee always did bring him comfort... Once it was in Jude's hands, Papa backed away awkwardly.

“I'll, um... I'll leave you alone now,” he promised, “If you should need anything, Jude, I'm here for you.”

Jude gulped as he watched his Papa climb back down off the trailer and join Dad. For some reason, seeing him walk away made Jude's heart ache. He didn't want Papa to go thinking that he didn't want to talk to him. Jude was never bothered by his parents. In fact, he loved when they talked with him. Papa and Dad were the first people he ever loved.

“Wait,” Jude called.

As his parents paused to look back at him, Jude quickly slid out of his Impala and jumped down to the garage floor. With Bumble Bee in hand, he raced over to wrap both arms around his Papa, snaking his hands underneath his warm trench coat like he always used to do as a kid. Of course, Papa hugged him back tightly.

“I love you,” Jude mumbled against the top of his Papa's shoulder.

Papa sneaked a small kiss to the side of Jude's head.

“I love you too, son,” he replied, “more than you'll ever know.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all the horrible angst of this story, I figured that the last(ish) chapter of it should be all fluff. :) Luckily, to Jess's relief, Sam isn't on the warpath for Ollie's head. (not right now, anyway. Lol) Ms. Jane will recover from this incident eventually, and who knows. Maybe she'll do a little hunting herself. ;) Dickie is more of a rat than a dog, wouldn't you say? ;D Good thing Sam doesn't speak dog. Lol. As for Jude and Clare, their future is bright. Lots of good things are still to come for them, because they have faith in each other. (eh? Faith? Get it?) ;D This entire story is about to wrap up in a week, and all I can say to all of you readers who have been here since the beginning is: thank you. Because without you, this story wouldn't be so long and full of feelsy fluff. You guys are seriously the best. :') I'm fixing to do a pretty neat Epilogue, and I hope you'll stick around to read it. :) The very last chapter will be out soon! :)


	15. Chapter 15

[ One year later ]

* * *

“Alright,” Dean sighed as he slid into the front seat of Jude's car, “First things first, buddy. Seat belt.”

The man pointed toward the dangling strap on the other side of his son, which received a look that said, 'Really, Dad?' Jude was humorously annoyed by his dad's stern precautions, but hey. This was Jude's first time driving without parental supervision and Dean wasn't about to let him out of the bunker garage without wearing a seat belt. With a slight eye roll and a smirk, Jude reached over to grab the belt and click it on around him. Once that was out of the way, Dean looked around the inside of the vehicle to take stock of all the procedures Jude needed to follow.

“So, you know that you have to press the break when you put it in drive, right?” Dean asked.

“Yes,” Jude nodded.

“And you know how to use the turn signals? Left and right?” Dean prompted, pointing toward the steering wheel.

“Yeah,” Jude agreed, reaching up to press the lever up and down to change the directional arrows.

“Good,” Dean mentioned, “Now, remember, you've gotta come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs. Don't give cops any reason to pull you over, okay? Oh, but if you _do_ get pulled over, just stay calm and do what they tell you to do... Or just pray to your Papa and he can help you out.”

Jude chuckled a little, probably finding the thought of his parents 'rescuing' him from a ticket kind of funny. But Dean was serious. He knew Cas would fly in and help Jude with anything, even talking to cops.

“Okay. I will,” Jude promised.

Dean took another deep breath and searched the car again. After a year's work, she was finally ready to roll. It took several trips to auto parts stores, lots of consulting with Bobby, hours upon hours of labor in the garage to get the transmission working and the brake system fixed – but now, it was done. Just one week shy of Jude's eighteenth birthday, his car was finally ready for its first trip.

But Dean wasn't ready at all. After all the time spent getting the car fixed – having so much father-son time while they worked in the garage – Dean wasn't able to be completely happy about it. The finished product made him feel accomplished, sure. But there was always that hint of sadness; that tingle of remorse about how fast it was going. No matter how much Dean tried to slow down time, he couldn't stop his kid from growing up. And having Jude's blue Impala up and running felt like the end of the line. This was where his childhood ended and his adulthood began. This was where Dean had to start treating him like an equal instead of a minor.

This was where Jude, Dean and Cas's only son, became a man.

Half of Dean was proud and glad that Jude had made it to this point, but the other part of him was so damn heartbroken. It seemed like Jude just got through learning to walk and talk, now he was driving his own car. Dean missed the days when he could pick Jude up and hold him; when he got to teach him about cool things and see his blue eyes light up. Now, at almost eighteen, Jude had been exposed to nearly everything. Dean and Cas had done the best they could to train their son to be a strong, resilient, intelligent young man. And their affectionate work had paid off in spades. Jude was a better man than Dean could have hoped for...

“Dad?”

Dean shook himself out of his own bittersweet thoughts to look over at his son. Jude was giving him that arched eyebrow; the same questioning look that Cas wore sometimes. God, Cas's facial hair stubble was even dusted around Jude's mouth and cheeks...

“Yeah, little man?” Dean replied instinctively.

Luckily, Jude didn't comment on the 'little man'. He had been stuck with that nickname for so long that it was basically part of his real name, now.

“I'll be okay,” Jude mumbled.

Dean could tell that his son was trying to make him feel better about letting him drive on his own for the first time. Little did he know that it wasn't the driving part that made Dean upset, it was the fact that his child wasn't a child anymore.

“I know you will,” Dean forced a smile and reached over to ruffle Jude's brown hair, “C'mere.”

Though he still seemed embarrassed about his dad's cuddly nature, Jude still leaned in for a hug anyway. As soon as Dean wrapped both arms around Jude's broad shoulders, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was hoping to find that baby smell again; the scent Jude had when he was young. What Dean found instead was a mixture of freshly laundered clothes and a hint of cologne. It was a different kind of musk than Dean was expecting, but it was still _Jude_. Dean almost forgot that they were in the middle of an embrace because the smell was taking him back to the two of them playing on the swings at the park, eating smiley face pancakes for breakfast, talking about superheros, curling up on the couch to watch cartoons, laughing, playing, being kids together... Holy shit. It almost made Dean want to cry.

But he didn't cry. He had to hold it together because he didn't want to be a sap around his adult son. Dean gulped down the lump in his throat as he pat Jude's back and finally let go. Jude's blue eyes searched him over immediately of course, suspicious about why the hug lasted so long.

“Well, I guess you're good to go, then,” Dean mentioned casually, trying to mask his true emotions.

Before Jude could reply, the sound of footsteps came echoing from the back of the garage. Dean and Jude both turned to look out of Jude's open window to see Clarence and Cas making their way over. The demon kid and the angel were both wearing smiles – but Dean could tell that there was something different about Cas's. It was childlike somehow, far too mischievous to be ignored. Dean eyed his husband the most as he walked up to the car with Clarence. What the hell was going on with Cas?

“Is the Jaybird Express ready to rock and roll?” Clarence asked as he rounded the hood, staring at Jude through the windshield the whole time.

Even Dean could see that Clarence's entrance made the smile on Jude's face grow.

“Yep. She's ready,” Jude agreed.

When the blonde demon came to a stop at the passenger side door, Dean knew it was his cue to get out so the boys could be together. Still, that didn't stop Clarence from playing it up a little. He opened the door and paused to arch an eyebrow at Dean.

“You're in my seat, old man,” Clarence winked with a grin.

Dean rolled his eyes. Ugh. Damn kids. So young and full of jokes... The 'old man' gave his son one more pat on the shoulder before sliding out of the car so that Clarence could take his place. Dean almost didn't notice the blur of black that followed the demon inside until he turned to shut the door. Clarence was sitting on the passenger side, but his hellhound – one that Crowley gave him for his twentieth birthday, saying it was his 'rite of passage into demonhood' or whatever – had jumped in to sit between them. Dean wasn't too fond of that thing, especially since it growled at Jude sometimes. But it meant added security for Jude on this trip, so Dean was cool with it. While he walked around the car to stand with Cas, Dean saw Jude timidly reach out to pat the hellhound on the head.

“H – hey, Angel,” he offered.

Clarence smiled and pet the creature between them.

“Angel's been missing her Superman, too. Haven't you, girl?” he asked.

Of course, the hellhound didn't reply. She only laid down between the two boys and rested her head in Clarence's lap. With everyone seated and ready to hit the road, Dean and Cas both leaned into the open window to talk to their son again.

“If you run into any trouble -”

“I know, Dad. I'll call,” Jude interrupted Dean's worried suggestion.

“Please remember to replenish your fluids often, so that you do not become dehydrated during your travels, son,” Cas reminded softly.

“Don't worry, Pops. We're gonna stop and eat a few times on the way,” Clarence promised from the passenger seat.

When Jude turned to meet his eyes again, Dean thought that he might be sick. Ugh, he didn't want to let his child go all the way to Bobby's house without him. It was such a long drive; such a long way for Jude to go without the protection of his parents... But the part that made Dean feel the worst was that Jude _didn't need_ his parents' protection anymore. He was an adult now, with a boyfriend and a car. Jude was going to be fine without his parents, and it broke Dean's heart.

“We love you, Jude,” Dean nearly croaked.

Jude smiled and glanced between his parents as he held onto the steering wheel, pulling a classic 'Dean' pose while he batted his 'Cas' colored eyes...

“I love you guys too,” he replied in a meaningful tone.

“And I love all of you,” Clarence muttered from inside, “Can we go, now? I wanna see how fast this car's horses can gallop.”

Again, Dean felt the urge to roll his eyes, but he was able to resist it for Jude' sake. Cas leaned further into the window so that he could plant a tiny kiss to the edge of Jude's temple. It was quick and small enough that Jude wasn't even embarrassed by it.

“Please pray or call if you need any assistance, son. And let us know when you arrive,” he asked.

“I will,” Jude nodded as he shifted the car into drive, “Bye, you guys.”

“S – see you later, little man,” Dean squeaked out.

The man kept his eyes fixed on his child as the car slowly rolled toward the open garage door. Jude's hand – much bigger than Dean remembered – was waving goodbye the whole time, making Dean's heart ache. He heard Clarence mention something about music as they pulled away, and although the growl of Jude's blue Impala was echoing around the garage, Dean was able to hear a tune start playing from the open car windows. He faintly recognized the opening rift as 'Whole Lotta Love' by Zeppelin.

Even though he was on the verge of tears as he watched the glistening blue Impala roll out into the sunshine, Dean chuckled once. Somehow, whether it was the music or the Impala or the freckles on his face, Jude still had Dean with him. Dean was still traveling with his son, even though he wasn't physically next to him. And that thought was enough to at least bring Dean a little bit of comfort.

When Jude's Impala finally disappeared down the road, it took all the sound in the room with it. The garage was empty and silent afterward, leaving Dean and Cas alone with each other. Since tears were still threatening to fall from his eyes, Dean turned to see if Cas could distract him – and found that impish smile again. Geez, why did Cas look like that? Their son just left on his first big trip and Cas didn't seem worried at all. It was very unlike him. Why was he grinning like a little kid?

“What's up with you?” Dean simply blurted.

Before he answered, Cas sauntered up and grabbed both sides of Dean's open flannel shirt. His ocean eyes rose to pierce into Dean's as he smirked.

“I have a surprise for you, Dean,” the angel admitted in a purring tone.

Dean's eyes instantly narrowed. What? A surprise? From Cas? Oh, boy. This was sure to be interesting. At least it would be a welcome distraction from all these upsetting 'Jude' emotions.

“What is it?” Dean asked.

Instead of answering, Cas reached up to cup the side of Dean's face; in that loving way, where his thumb rubbed Dean's cheek. With a small rustle of wings and the bat of an eye, the garage around them disappeared and was replaced with an outdoor setting. Dean immediately blinked against the harsh light and looked around, finding trees to his left and a beautiful cliff side to his right. A hint of music – was that R&B? – was playing from somewhere nearby, getting Dean's attention. The smooth sounds were coming from a radio – which was situated next to an open quilt laying on the ground, covered in rose petals...

Dean's sight traveled all over the immediate area, soaking in the beautifully familiar view. He recognized the set up; the quilt, the radio, the small open cooler near the blanket, the picnic table a few feet away, the golden California sky glowing around the mountains in the distance. Dean knew this place. He thought about this place all the time. This was where they made Jude so many years ago. This was where Dean's life took a change for the better...

After a few seconds of taking it all in, Dean slowly returned his eyes to Cas's. The angel was still wearing that proud smirk. Damn. Cas had set this whole thing up again. Just for Dean...

* * *

Castiel could tell that Dean was happily overwhelmed by the familiar atmosphere. His emerald eyes couldn't stay put on one thing, but always returned to Castiel's. He was clearly in awe that his husband had went through the trouble of reenacting their first date that occurred eighteen years prior. But Castiel had been meaning to do this for many years, now. And since their son was going to Bobby's house for the weekend of their anniversary, it seemed like the right time to follow through.

“What do you think, Dean?” he asked, gesturing toward the romantic scenery.

Dean grinned and chuckled a bit, beaming as he turned in a slow circle to take it all in. Perhaps this was like stepping into a memory for him; like going back to a time before he became a father. That notion seemed so bizarre, now. After being Jude's parent for so long, Castiel couldn't imagine what it was like to _not_ be a father. In any case, Dean seemed to appreciate the effort that Castiel put into the setting.

“It's perfect,” he commented with a smirk, meeting Cas's stare again, “But uh... What's the occasion?”

Castiel was a little confused. Did Dean not realize what day it was? Perhaps the emotional weight of Jude's impending eighteenth birthday had distracted him from the other holidays listed on their calendar.

“Today is Valentine's Day, Dean,” he explained, “The yearly anniversary of our first date.”

Dean's jade eyes widened and his smile faltered a bit as the breeze ruffled his spiked hair. Obviously, he was unaware of the day. But learning about it seemed to peak his interest. His smile returned at full power and he inched closer to slip his arms around Cas's waist. But Castiel kept his left hand lodged in his coat pocket with the wrapped object hidden there...

“Damn. It _is_ Valentine's day,” the man remarked humorously, eyebrow raising in a suggestive manner.

“Yes,” Castiel answered, “and I wanted to remind you of this beautiful view...”

The angel carefully turned his husband toward the grand and breathtaking sight of the southern California mountains before them. Everything was just as it was years before; the glistening river far below the cliff side, trails of rock and dirt winding along the trees in the distance, the golden sun shining down on it all. This place was almost holy; blessed with divine beauty. And purpose...

But this view wasn't the only thing Castiel wanted to provide Dean with. While the man beheld the majestic creation in front of him, his angelic husband slowly slid up to wrap him into a hug from behind. With one hand around Dean's torso, Castiel used his other to bring forth the gift from his pocket.

“And give you this,” Castiel hummed into Dean's ear.

He held the wrapped gift up so that Dean could take it. And though he seemed slightly suspicious, Dean took the object with a smile. He carefully tore the colorful wrapping paper away to reveal the sizable bottle of motor oil that Castiel had purchased earlier that day. The angel hoped that Dean would remember the meaning behind it, but he seemed a bit bewildered.

“Motor oil,” the man nodded, “Thanks...?”

Castiel unwound his arm from around Dean's torso so that he could step to the side and look at him properly.

“Do you not remember what happened that day, Dean?” the angel guessed, “You told me you left on your own to go and get motor oil for the Impala, but instead you came here to set up our first date...”

“Holy shit!” Dean suddenly chuckled, his eyes wide and beaming again, “You _remembered_ that?! Damn, baby, do you ever forget anything?”

Castiel smiled at his husband's proud recollection.

“When it comes to you, Dean, I make it a point to remember every fine detail,” the angel admitted.

The affectionate confession made Dean's expression grow soft. He carefully bent down to place the bottle of motor oil on the ground near his feet before stepping toward Castiel with his arms wide open. Cas fully welcomed his husband's embrace, craning his neck to allow their mouths to meet in a tender collision. This particular kiss was stocked with emotion of both meaningful and lustful origins. As usual, Dean's hands dug beneath Castiel's coats in order to wiggle into the waist band of his pants. In turn, the angel slipped one hand down Dean's back and one into his spiked brown hair, caressing him as they kissed.

“Hmm,” Dean hummed gleefully, freeing his lips long enough to speak, “I think that blanket over there is calling our names, Cas.”

Castiel squinted a bit in confusion. Blankets could not speak, and were therefore unable to call someone's name. Perhaps Dean's statement was just a bit of humor, meant to represent his inner longing for intercourse.

“Indeed,” Cas carefully agreed.

After Castiel's admission, the man scooped the angel up into his arms to carry him toward the blanket. Castiel gasped and smiled at the sudden rush of adrenaline, enjoying the sensation of being carried around in his vessel. Once close enough, Dean carefully toppled to the blanketed ground, laying Castiel on his back to nestle between his legs. The angel welcomed his husbands roaming mouth to his own, feeling the beginnings of intense arousal slowly growing between them. Their heated action restored nostalgia to Cas's mind and heart. Oh, it was just like the last time they were in this place. So much love and intimacy were exchanged here, just as it was in this very moment. Even though so much time had passed, their feelings toward each other had remained unwaveringly sound.

“I love Valentine's Day,” Dean slurred against Cas's lips.

The angel smiled inside their sloppy kiss. He was grateful to hear that Dean enjoyed this anniversary as much as he did. However, while the two of them slowly and quietly entered the throws of passionate intercourse, Dean's cell phone began to ring. At the intrusive noise, the man groaned aloud and bowed his head to rest it on Cas's shoulder.

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered under his breath.

Castiel concurred with his husband's annoyance. Why did they always seemed to be interrupted at the worst times? Dean's left hand remained lodged on top of the clothed bulge between Castiel's legs as he used his right to answer the ringing phone.

“This better be important,” Dean growled toward the person on the device.

Since they were in such close proximity, Castiel was able to hear the voice that answered Dean. It was Gabriel, and he sounded slightly distressed. But it was difficult to hear him over the muffled ranting and raving in the background.

“ _Dean-o!_ ” the archangel began, speaking loudly so that Dean could hear him, “ _Help! The moose is on a rampage!_ ”

Dean and Castiel shared a look of equal confusion. Moose on a rampage? Was Gabriel referring to Sam? Why did Sam need calming?

“What's going on?” Dean sighed.

“ _Well, Jess came home with a ring on her finger and said that she got it from Oliver – No! Sam! Put that chair down!_ ” Gabriel suddenly shouted into the distance, “ _Don't make me sic Dickie on you! You know I'll do it!_ ”

“Wait, what?” Dean asked, his expression instantly shifting to seriousness, “Oliver gave Jessica a ring? What kind of ring?”

“ _It's just a promise ring!_ ” Gabriel explained, “ _Nothing serious! But your gigantic moose-brother took it as an engagement ring and he's – Oh, for Dad's sake! Stop getting all worked up, Sam! It's fine!_ ”

The phone was briefly interrupted with muffled arguing and Castiel was able to distinguish Sam, Gabriel, and Jessica's voices, as well as Dickie's barking. In the meantime, Dean and Castiel could only stare at each other and listen to the commotion. A new voice eventually came back to converse with them.

“ _Uncle Dean?_ ” Jessica asked.

“Yeah, shortcake, I'm here,” Dean mumbled.

“ _Can you please remind Dad that Oliver is my boyfriend and it's perfectly fine for him to get me jewelry for -_ ”

“ _Not engagement rings!_ ” Sam interrupted from the background, “ _You're only seventeen!_ ”

Dean let out a long, exhausted sigh and rolled his eyes.

“Jess, put your Dad on the phone, please,” he requested.

There, of course, was a slight pause before Sam's voice became loud and clear on the phone. He sounded painfully distraught.

“ _Dean, can you believe this?!_ ” Sam asked.

“Sammy,” Dean began, “Dude, we've been through this. We've both gotta loosen up on the parental reigns. I'm letting Jude drive all the way to Bobby's house, so you need to leave Jessica and Oliver alone -”

“ _Dean, he gave her a ring! There's no reason for them to get married this young! Unless – oh my God... Jessica, are you pregnant?!_ ” Sam gasped.

“ _No, Dad!_ ” Jessica's voice could be heard perfectly over the phone, “ _Ugh, stop being paranoid! We aren't going to have kids until..._ ”

Jessica's voice became quiet, as if she was stopping herself from continuing. But the mention of having children of her own seemed to spark everyone's interest.

“ _Wait, you already know that you're going to have kids with Carrot-top?_ ” Gabriel squeaked over the phone, “ _Holy moose-tracks! When?! How many?! One? Two? A bus load?! Oh my Dad, we're going to be grandpas to little redhaired angels some day, Sam!_ ”

There was an audible thud on the phone, from which Dean and Castiel could only gather that something very large had fallen over. Another moment of silence followed before Gabriel's voice returned.

“ _Uh, freckles?_ ” the archangel mumbled, “ _Sammy just passed out... We'll, uh, talk to you guys later. I'll make sure he gets to bed safely._ ”

“...yeah,” Dean simply replied.

Castiel was able to hear Gabriel asking Jessica a few more questions about her future children as the line went dead. The thought of Jessica having children with Oliver made Castiel wonder about his own offspring. Would Jude and Clarence be just as blessed? Would they, too, be able to have children? Castiel certainly hoped that his child would have the same type of blessings as everyone else. Someday in the future, perhaps.

Dean exhaled and tossed his phone away, far to the edge of the blanket. He stretched his neck a bit and allowed the smile to return to his perfectly plump lips.

“Now,” he murmured with a grin, “Where were we?”

Castiel could feel joy exuding from his own expression as he blinked up at his husband's precious face. Looking at Dean always made Castiel feel whole and content, but that sentiment seemed to be even more amplified _here_ , in the same place where the parenthood of their child began. The thought made Castiel wonder if Dean ever considered these things. Did he feel that same stir of emotion? The same affinity for their son's youth as well as time before it? Of course he must have. That was why it appeared so difficult for Dean to watch Jude depart earlier.

As the two of them got lost in another kiss, Castiel was suddenly brought back to a seemingly ancient revelation. The one of his own purpose. It seemed like so long ago that he struggled with the internal dilemma of his own place in this world. And now, many years later, after so many hardships and triumphs, Castiel had everything he could have ever wanted. If he had known back then what he knew now, he wouldn't have spent a single moment worrying about his own outcome. Because now, he not only had the love of Dean Winchester, but also the love of their grown son, their brothers, their niece, human friends, and a home in which they all could live peacefully. To Castiel, his place on Earth was better than any other, even his old home in Heaven. _This was_ Castiel's heaven. He was already living in it. And it was all thanks to Dean and their precious child.

Dean must have noticed Castiel's lack of physical movement due to being lost in thought, because he slowly stopped kissing him to raise his head. The man observed the angel from above once more, studying him closely.

“What is it?” he muttered, sounding genuinely curious.

“Nothing,” Castiel assured, though he could feel his own eyes building up pressure.

“It doesn't look like nothing, babe. Come on. Spit it out,” Dean urged with a smirk.

Castiel swallowed a bit and brought his hand over to caress Dean's face. Dean's perfect, handsome, elegantly freckled, and slightly aged face.

“I was just... thinking about our life together,” the angel admitted, “About you and Jude. And how very blessed I am.”

Dean's smile grew and he raked his own hand through Castiel's hair, causing chills to race down his body.

“ _I'm_ the one who's blessed,” Dean nearly whispered, “If I didn't have you, I'd... God, I don't even want to _think_ about not having you...”

“You'll never have to, Dean,” Castiel promised, “You and Jude are my life. You're the purpose of my very existence. And I _love_ both of you.”

Dean peered down at Castiel with a peaceful grin, raising his left hand to cup the side of Castiel's cheek and causing his silver wedding band to catch a glimmer of sunlight.

“We love you too, Cas,” he muttered, after which a touch of playfulness sparked in his eyes, “Now, how about we get back to our 'date'?”

Assuming that Dean was hinting at intercourse, Castiel fully wrapped his body back around Dean's.

“Very well,” the angel allowed, “But, even though we are reenacting our last visit here, I don't think we should use any grace this time.”

“Agreed,” Dean instantly concurred with a chuckle.

The two of them took a moment to simply smile and search each others' faces with admiration before rejoining their mouths. The tree limbs overhead swayed in the breeze, causing the small beams of sunlight to shift all around them from above. The rose petals on the blanket fluttered around as well, tickling their bare skin and casting their sweet scent into the air. And as the gentle hum of music provided a calming ambiance, Castiel found that his favorite sound was that of Dean's heartbeat against his own chest...

The vital continuance of Dean's life that gave Castiel's life meaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at the end of a very long road, still standing together with Dean and Cas. :') where did the time go? It feels like Cas just gave birth to him and now he's off on his own adventures with his boyfriend! *bursts into tears and cries for several minutes before sniffling and clearing eyes* Well, after two years of fluff, angst, feels, and smut, I only hope that the long road you traveled with me to get here was worth it. And I wish that I could tell you – _You_ , the person reading this right now with those pretty eyes of yours – how much your patience, kindness, and gratitude means to me. Those of you who've left messages on this story, even if it was just a single line, will never know how much you've impacted my life. I live with my own brand of Darkness, just like everyone else, and those comments help me fight it... but enough about me. Lol. Thank _you_ for taking the time to read this thing! I hope that this was a fitting end, and that the entire story was able to bring you happiness! :D I love all of you! :)
> 
>  **As for what's next** : I'm honestly not really sure. There is an original work of my own that I started last year (one that I'd like to publish for real. Like, have an actual hard copy of with my name on it and everything. Lol) but I've also thought of doing a spin off of this fic that would center around the kids as adults. And Chuck knows I have a stockpile of other destiel and sabriel ideas just waiting to be typed out... but for now, I think I'll take a little break and let my muses rest a bit. :) I cannot thank you guys enough for all of your support. I know that I've made friends for life because of you all, and I thank you very much. :) I wish all of you well until I hear from you again! Stay safe, and remember that you're not alone! :)


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